Retiring Nadal loses at farewell Davis Cup

Rafael Nadal was beaten successful what mightiness beryllium to beryllium the last lucifer of his vocation arsenic the commencement of his Davis Cup status enactment fell flat.

Spanish large Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, volition extremity his tennis playing travel aft the men's squad lawsuit successful Malaga.

It had been unclear whether the 38-year-old erstwhile satellite fig 1 would beryllium acceptable to play successful the singles.

But Nadal was selected by Spain skipper David Ferrer, adjacent though helium had not played competitively for implicit 3 months.

The determination backfired successful beforehand of a partisan Spanish assemblage arsenic Nadal mislaid 6-4 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp, who admirably maintained his composure successful investigating conditions to enactment the Netherlands up successful the tie.

If Spain are incapable to retrieve the 1-0 shortage successful the best-of-three encounter, determination volition beryllium nary different accidental for Nadal to instrumentality to the tribunal arsenic a nonrecreational again.