Rafael Nadal said he is unsure what role he will play at the Davis Cup this week, but he added he is at peace with his decision to retire from the sport and said any emotion will be kept in check until after the Davis Cup finishes.
Nadal, 38, was speaking on the eve of him taking part in his final competition in professional tennis as he lines up for Spain in the Davis Cup for its tie with the Netherlands. Spain captain David Ferrer would not be drawn on whether Nadal will play singles or doubles on Tuesday, but Nadal said he is ready to give his all for his country.
“If I’m on the court I hope to control my emotions. I’m not here to retire, I’m here to help the team win,” Nadal told a news conference.
“It’s my last week in a team competition and the most important thing is to help the team. Emotions will come at the end. Before and after I’ll be focused on what I have to do.”
It was a packed press room in Malaga on Monday for Spain’s team, as Nadal fielded questions on whether he had any regrets over retiring, and his emotions, as he prepared for one final swing.
He was sat on stage next to the other members of the Spanish team — including Carlos Alcaraz — but the attention was on Nadal, complete with his 22 Grand Slams and incredible legacy in the sport.
“It’s something that I have been thinking about for quite a long time, I wanted to have one more chance,” Nadal said.
“I have tried to work as hard as possible in the last month and a half. Just trying to do my best every single day. It’s difficult to hold the level on a constant basis when you’re not competing for a while. The improvement is there but we have a great team in Spain. The thing is all these players on the tour are having great seasons and it’s up to the captain to decide what’s best for the team.”
Nadal said he is not sure what emotions he will feel on Tuesday, if it is indeed his last match, with Spain potentially playing again in the semifinals on Friday and the final on Sunday if they progress that far. But Nadal said he leaves the sport content; he gave it his all.
“Everybody at the end of a long career, of course, at the end I will change things that I did, I will do things that I will change to try to be better and to try to avoid things, but at the end, I achieved the most important thing for me,” Nadal said.
[Leadership]