Netherlands’ Davis Cup team plan to gatecrash Rafael Nadal’s retirement party by giving him “a nice adios”.
Spanish superstar Nadal will call time on his iconic career at the Davis Cup Finals on homeground in Malaga this week, hoping to sign off with a fifth title in the competition to add to his 22 Grand Slam triumphs.
However, the Dutch will not be swayed by sentiment or the huge support and goodwill which will accompany 38-year-old Nadal into retirement when the two teams meet in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
“It’s amazing that it might be the last match that Nadal plays and we hope to give him a nice adios,” Dutch team captain Paul Haarhuis told a news conference on Sunday.
“It’s the Davis Cup, anything can happen. We want more than being in the quarter-finals so we are going to have to play well and that’s what we focus on.”
The Dutch have had plenty of experience facing Spanish players this year.
Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof lost to Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in doubles at the Paris Olympics.
Botic van de Zandschulp then sent Alcaraz crashing to a shock second round loss at the US Open.
“Rafa retiring here of course brings something special to the occasion,” said van de Zandschulp.
“I’m really looking forward to the tie. It will be something special. Let’s see how the madness is going to be.”
