Nadal's Davis Cup Retirement Ceremony Slammed As 'Shabby' By His Coach

Friday, 22 November 2024 at 20:48

byJordan Reynolds

Rafael Nadal's coach, Carlos Moya, has become the latest figure to express disappointment with the 14-time French Open champion's retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup Finals.

Nadal's career ended earlier than he had hoped on Tuesday. Team Spain was the favorite to defeat the Netherlands in the quarterfinals in Malaga, but it ended disappointingly for those who wanted to see the tennis legend win the Davis Cup in his final professional appearance.

Spanish captain David Ferrer chose Nadal for the opening singles match against Botic van de Zandschulp. The former world No. 1 struggled throughout the contest and lost 4-6, 4-6 in what turned out to be his last match.

A passionate Carlos Alcaraz leveled the tie by beating Tallon Griekspoor. The 21-year-old spoke before the Davis Cup Finals began about how determined he was to win the title to honor Nadal.

Unfortunately for the four-time Grand Slam champion, those hopes ended a few hours later. Wesley Koolhof and van de Zandschulp sealed Team Netherlands' place in the semifinal by defeating Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers.

A retirement ceremony was then held for Nadal. After he addressed the crowd, a video of brief tributes from stars like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Andy Murray, and Andres Iniesta was played.

Nadal stated that he hoped to be remembered as a good person before saying goodbye to the fans and his teammates on the court one more time. The ceremony for one of the greatest sportspeople ever then concluded.

Although the ceremony was emotional, some were disappointed with it. Rafael's uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, felt underwhelmed by the ceremony and admitted it did not meet his expectations.

Spanish captain Ferrer also felt disappointed with it. He said figures like Djokovic and Federer not being inside the arena for the moment meant the ceremony felt watered down and did not give Nadal the send-off he deserved.

Moya, who took over as Nadal's primary coach from Toni in 2017, can be added to those who did not like the ceremony. The 1998 French Open champion called it shabby when speaking to Radioestadio Noche despite insisting he was not trying to blame anyone.

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"It's not the time to blame anyone... But the feeling we're all left with is a bit scruffy and shabby... It's true that it's a Tuesday night, but this is sport, and it was known months in advance that if Spain lost, Rafa would retire. Nadal is far above all this."

Nadal's coach bluntly stated that the farewell did not live up to what the 22-time Grand Slam champion means to the sport. That is partially because Team Spain was eliminated and Nadal lost his last match, but Moya thinks the underwhelming ceremony worsened matters.

"I saw Rafa calm, I had assumed that this moment was going to come. We knew for months that this was going to happen, but we are assimilating it. It has been a farewell that has not lived up to what Rafa Nadal means to the sport."

No comments have been made by Nadal yet about the ceremony, but Ferrer, Uncle Toni, and Moya's disappointment with it might indicate that the 38-year-old felt similarly. That is impossible to know for sure, though.