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Tom Hamilton, Senior Writer
MALAGA, Spain — Carlos Alcaraz has said Rafael Nadal’s legacy in tennis is “eternal” and said it is almost impossible to follow in his footsteps.
Nadal retired from the sport after Spain lost to the Netherlands in their Davis Cup quarterfinal tie on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old opened the tie but lost 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 in the doubles for a spot in the semifinals. But Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers lost to Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), meaning Nadal was ushered into retirement.
Nadal announced last month he was going to retire from the sport after this Davis Cup. He felt his body’s limitations meant he could no longer reach the competitive level he wanted. But he leaves behind an astonishing legacy, having won 22 men’s singles Grand Slams.
Alcaraz, 21, is at the start of his career and has already won four Grand Slams. He is widely seen as the heir to Nadal’s throne but is reluctant to draw any comparison.
“I think that he was one of the best ambassadors for tennis,” Alcaraz said of Nadal. “I mean, his legacy is going to be eternal. You know, he has been great for tennis, for this sport in general.
“Yeah, it is difficult, at least for me. I don’t want to think that I should continue, you know, the legacy that he has left. It is difficult, almost impossible. I will try to do my best, but right now, you know, it’s time to say, you know, just great things about Rafa, what he has done, you know, during his career. Probably he was one of the players that put tennis, you know, in the top of sport in the top of the world.
“It is just great to have had Rafa in tennis and, you know, in this period in my life.”
Spain were favourites to beat the Netherlands and the hope was Nadal would finish his career by helping his country to the Davis Cup title on Sunday. But the Dutch had other ideas and brought a premature end to Spain’s farewell party for Nadal.
Despite this significance attached to the tournament, Alcaraz said he didn’t feel any extra pressure.
“I really wanted to do it for Rafa, but I stay focused on my game, try not to think about, you know, Rafa’s last tournament, Rafa’s last match,” Alcaraz said.
“I didn’t want to think about it. I just wanted to help the team as much I can. I wanted to try to, you know, win both matches just to keep going, try to enjoy this week much more, but I couldn’t. But it wasn’t the extra pressure that knowing it was Rafa’s last tournament.”
After losing to Van de Zandschulp, Nadal said if he was team captain David Ferrer — if Spain progressed to the semifinals — then he’d have opted to pick Roberto Bautista Agut over him for the singles.
But it wasn’t a dilemma Ferrer had after Spain fell. He said he decided to start Nadal in the singles on Monday and it was a straightforward call.
“It wasn’t difficult,” Ferrer said. “In the end, I am the captain. I decide that the players that they are going to play, and we knew that Holland, they have good players. And with this format never is easy.
“The court is faster than usually on the tour. This is not excuse, because at the end, they deserve win the tie, and congrats. In the end, this is sport, and, well, now it’s a night that we are of course disappointed because we play at home with our crowd, and yeah, we are sad, of course.
“But I am proud of my players. They try to do their best. They compete. As I said before, this is sport. We have to accept and nothing else. And tomorrow is going to be another day.”