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Tom Hamilton, Senior Author
MALAGA, Spain — Carlos Alcaraz has stated Rafael Nadal’s legacy in tennis is “everlasting” and stated it’s nearly unimaginable to comply with in his footsteps.
Nadal retired from the sport after Spain misplaced to the Netherlands of their Davis Cup quarterfinal tie on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old opened the tie however misplaced to Botic van de Zandschulp in singles 6-4, 6-4. Alcaraz then defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 to take it to a showdown within the doubles for a spot within the semifinals. However Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers misplaced to Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), that means Nadal was ushered into retirement.
Nadal introduced final month he was going to retire from the game after this Davis Cup. He felt his physique’s limitations meant he may now not attain the aggressive degree he wished. However he leaves behind an astonishing legacy, having gained 22 males’s singles Grand Slams.
Alcaraz, 21, is firstly of his profession and has already gained 4 Grand Slams. He’s extensively seen because the inheritor to Nadal’s throne however is reluctant to attract any comparability.
“I feel that he was among the finest ambassadors for tennis,” Alcaraz stated of Nadal. “I imply, his legacy goes to be everlasting. You already know, he has been nice for tennis, for this sport typically.
“Yeah, it’s troublesome, not less than for me. I do not need to assume that I ought to proceed, you realize, the legacy that he has left. It’s troublesome, nearly unimaginable. I’ll attempt to do my greatest, however proper now, you realize, it is time to say, you realize, simply nice issues about Rafa, what he has achieved, you realize, throughout his profession. In all probability he was one of many gamers that put tennis, you realize, within the high of sport within the high of the world.
“It’s simply nice to have had Rafa in tennis and, you realize, on this interval in my life.”
Spain have been favourites to beat the Netherlands and the hope was Nadal would end his profession by serving to his nation to the Davis Cup title on Sunday. However the Dutch had different concepts and introduced a untimely finish to Spain’s farewell social gathering for Nadal.
Regardless of this significance connected to the match, Alcaraz stated he did not really feel any further strain.
“I actually wished to do it for Rafa, however I keep centered on my sport, strive not to consider, you realize, Rafa’s final match, Rafa’s final match,” Alcaraz stated.
“I did not need to give it some thought. I simply wished to assist the group as a lot I can. I wished to attempt to, you realize, win each matches simply to maintain going, attempt to get pleasure from this week far more, however I could not. However it wasn’t the additional strain that realizing it was Rafa’s final match.”
After dropping to Van de Zandschulp, Nadal stated if he was group captain David Ferrer — if Spain progressed to the semifinals — then he’d have opted to choose Roberto Bautista Agut over him for the singles.
However it wasn’t a dilemma Ferrer had after Spain fell. He stated he determined to start out Nadal within the singles on Monday and it was an easy name.
“It wasn’t troublesome,” Ferrer stated. “In the long run, I’m the captain. I resolve that the gamers that they’re going to play, and we knew that Holland, they’ve good gamers. And with this format by no means is straightforward.
“The courtroom is quicker than normally on the tour. This isn’t excuse, as a result of on the finish, they deserve win the tie, and congrats. In the long run, that is sport, and, nicely, now it is a evening that we’re after all disillusioned as a result of we play at residence with our crowd, and yeah, we’re unhappy, after all.
“However I’m happy with my gamers. They attempt to do their greatest. They compete. As I stated earlier than, that is sport. We’ve to simply accept and nothing else. And tomorrow goes to be one other day.”
