MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal will open Spain’s Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands today, Tuesday November 19 in his last tournament before retiring from tennis.
Spain captain David Ferrer has selected 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, 38, to face Botic Van De Zandschulp, who beat Carlos Alcaraz at this year’s U.S. Open and idolizes Nadal.
Alcaraz will contest the second singles rubber against Tallon Griekspoor, while Alcaraz and doubles specialist Marcel Granollers will face Wesley Koolhof and van de Zandschulp in the doubles, if it is played.
Both Nadal and Ferrer refused to be drawn on the possibility of Nadal playing in a news conference before the event. “I am not here for retirement,” Nadal said, emphasizing his desire to help Spain, even if that meant not playing at all.
The match gives Nadal the opportunity to extend his remarkable Davis Cup singles record of 29-1, with his sole defeat coming to Czech player Jiri Novak in the 2004 tournament that announced Nadal’s quality to the world.
He has won the tournament with Spain five times, most recently in 2019.
Spain’s tie against the Netherlands is from 4 p.m. GMT / 11 a.m. ET, and will be shown on Sky Sports and Tennis Channel.
(Oscar J. Barroso / Europa Sports via Getty Images)
