THE RAFA ERA ENDS

Written by: Nolwazi Zondi

In a game where love means nothing, Rafael Nadal received all the love in
his final game as a professional tennis player at the Davis Cup quarterfinals
in Malaga on Tuesday, 18 November 2024.

The King of Clay retires after a 6-4; 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of
the Netherlands. ‘I lost my first match at the Davis Cup, and I lost my last
one, so we close the circle,’ says Nadal who won 29 of his last Davis Cups
out of 30 played.

Emotions were high for the 22-time Grand Slam champion as he shed tears
during the national anthem. “I was having an emotional day, nerves before
what could be my last singles match as a professional.”

Praises overflowed on social media from fans, celebrities, fellow tennis
players and more – honoring the legend for his incredible 20-year
dominance in the sport.

“Congratulations on a career that most won’t dare to dream of. I feel so
fortunate to have been able to play when you were playing and being Great.
You inspired me to be better, to play harder, to fight, to never give up, and to win more. No excuses, just play the sport. Your legacy will never die…Long
live Rafa,” captioned the 23-time Grand Slam winner, Serena Williams in an
Instagram reel wearing her Rafa gear and saying, “We gonna always love
you. We gonna always miss you.”

The South African comedian, Trevor Noah, shared his humorous
sentiments as well on Instagram: “For anyone who’s ever had the pleasure
of watching this man grace a court, they will know that his mastery has
forever altered our perception of what tennis can be. His athleticism
transformed a clay court into a Gladiators Arena. He somehow even
managed to elevate the art of headband adjustments and delicate wedgie
removals…. Here’s to sunny days ahead, fewer blistered fingers, and
maybe a match where the score doesn’t matter.”

The 38-year-old legend leaves tennis to enjoy life by the sea, fishing and
playing golf with his lovely family. “The important legacy is that all the people I have met during these 20 years
have a good memory of me,” says the great Rafael Nadal as he ends his
reign in humilit