October 10th 2024.
At the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, tennis fans around the world will witness the end of an era as Rafael Nadal takes to the court for his final professional match. The Spanish tennis legend, who has 22 Grand Slam titles under his belt, made the announcement on Thursday that he will be retiring after the team-based event in Malaga, Spain. This highly anticipated tournament will run from November 19th to November 24th, with Spain facing off against the Netherlands in their first match.
So when exactly will Nadal's last match be? If Spain is unable to advance past the Dutch team, it means that Nadal's final match will take place on November 19th - just nine days from now. This could potentially be against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp, whom Nadal has faced twice before on the ATP Tour. In both of their previous encounters, Nadal emerged victorious with straight-set wins at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2022.
But if Spain does manage to move on to the next round, Nadal's retirement match will come a little later. They would face either Germany or Canada, both of whom have strong players in their squad. For Germany, world No.67 Jan-Lennard Struff will be a potential opponent for Nadal, but it is worth noting that world No.3 Alexander Zverev is not included in their team. On the other hand, Canada boasts top players like Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime in their lineup.
One question that has been on every tennis fan's mind is whether we will ever see Nadal face off against his long-time rival, Roger Federer, again. While both players have now retired from the professional game, Federer's agent Tony Godsick has hinted at the possibility of an exhibition match between the two in the future. In an interview with Marca, Godsick mentioned their previous exhibition match in South Africa, which drew a record-breaking crowd of 51,000 spectators. He also expressed his admiration for Nadal's agent, Carlos Costa, and their past collaborations, leaving the door open for a potential "Fedal" match in the future.
As we eagerly await Nadal's final match, it is clear that his retirement will mark the end of an era in the world of tennis. But with his legacy and achievements, he will always be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport.
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