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Spain's Rafael Nadal acknowledges the crowd after he was defeated by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their semi-final tennis match in the "6 Kings Slam" exhibition tournament in Riyadh on October 17, 2024. Fayez Nureldine, AFP/File

Spain's Rafael Nadal acknowledges the crowd after he was defeated by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their semi-final tennis match in the "6 Kings Slam" exhibition tournament in Riyadh on October 17, 2024. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP)

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Tennis: 6 Kings Slam exhibition tournament

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1731829177402AFP__20241017__36KC4RH__v1__Preview__Tennis6KingsSlamExhibitionTournament.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Spain&#x27;s Rafael Nadal acknowledges the crowd after he was defeated by Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz during their semi-final tennis match in the "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Spain&#x27;s Rafael Nadal acknowledges the crowd after he was defeated by Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz during their semi-final tennis match in the &quot;6 Kings Slam&quot; exhibition tournament in Riyadh on October 17, 2024. <em>Fayez Nureldine, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MALAGA, Spain -- Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is aiming to cap his emotional farewell from tennis with another Davis Cup triumph in Malaga next week.</p><p>Nadal, 38, has battled injuries over the past few years and the extent to which he can compete for his country is unknown, but all eyes will be on the 22-time Grand Slam winner.</p><p>The veteran led Spain to victory in Madrid five years ago -- the last time they won the trophy and Nadal&#x27;s fourth.</p><p>However, he admitted Saturday that his role in Malaga may be limited to doubles rather than singles.</p><p>&quot;First off, we&#x27;ll have to see how I feel in training and, if I really don&#x27;t feel I have a chance to win the singles, I&#x27;ll be the first to not want to play,&quot; Nadal said in comments to the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET).</p><p>&quot;If I don&#x27;t feel ready, I&#x27;ll be the first to speak to the captain (David Ferrer). I&#x27;ve already told him on a few occasions not to make any decisions based on the fact that it&#x27;s my last week as a professional tennis player.&quot;</p><p>French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will be Spain&#x27;s leading player and his presence offers Nadal a real chance of retiring on a high note.</p><p>&quot;Probably one of the most special tournaments that I&#x27;m going to play. Last tournament of Rafa, I&#x27;ll be able to be next to him in the last moments on a tennis court for him,&quot; said Alcaraz who played alongside Nadal in doubles at the Olympics in Paris this year.</p><p>&quot;I think it&#x27;s most important for Rafa, for his last tournament. I really want him to retire with a title. It&#x27;s going to be really, really emotional and a really special tournament for me.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/16/alcaraz-eyeing-triumphant-davis-cup-farewell-for-nadal-after-atp-finals-exit-1141">READ: Alcaraz eyeing triumphant Davis Cup farewell for Nadal after ATP Finals exit</a></div><p>Representing Spain, Nadal won singles gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and triumphed in the doubles at Rio 2016 alongside Marc Lopez.</p><p>But former world number one Nadal&#x27;s injury setbacks in the twilight of his career have seen his ranking slump to 155.</p><p>The last of his 92 career titles came with his 14th French Open and 22nd major at Roland Garros in 2022.</p><p>He hasn&#x27;t played a competitive singles match since losing to Novak Djokovic at the Olympics in July while in 2023 he played just four times.</p><p>Many are hoping for Spain and Alcaraz to meet world number one Jannik Sinner&#x27;s Italy, the defending champions, in the final, as the two young stars continue to build on a gripping rivalry.</p><p>Record 32-time champions the United States have selected a strong team spearheaded by US Open finalist Taylor Fritz and are also among the most likely contenders.</p><p>Nadal clashed with Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia at the &quot;Six Kings Slam&quot; exhibition in October, losing in straight sets, but they will be fighting for the same goal in Andalucia.</p><p>The start of the Billie Jean King Cup was delayed because of a weather alert in the Malaga region, in the wake of devastating floods in the east of Spain.</p><p>Alcaraz, ranked third in the world, said the flooding in Valencia increased his motivation to help his country triumph.</p><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABQdBCK4at_piNoD&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script><p>&quot;I&#x27;m here to give my grain of sand because playing for Spain is the biggest thing that there is for me,&quot; he continued.</p><p>Tennis greats and stars from other sports are among those clamoring to watch Nadal&#x27;s farewell, with career rivals Djokovic and Roger Federer among those expected to attend.</p><p>Spain face the Netherlands on Tuesday in the last eight, with the winner taking on Germany or Canada in the semi-finals.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/6/davis-cup-aiming-for-special-nadal-retirement-celebration-1346">READ: Davis Cup aiming for &#x27;special&#x27; Nadal retirement celebration</a></div><div><strong>- Italy defense -</strong></div><p>Italy ended a 47-year wait to win the Davis Cup again a year ago as they beat Australia in the final with Sinner their key player and are favorites to defend their title.</p><p>The Australian Open and US Open winner is still waiting for an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency against him to be resolved.</p><p>Sinner twice tested positive for traces of an anabolic steroid in March but the International Tennis Integrity Agency cleared him of blame in August.</p><p>Italy face Argentina in the quarter-finals with the winner taking on the United States or Australia.</p><p>Captained by Lleyton Hewitt, Australia were runners-up last year and are second only to the US in Davis Cup triumphs, winning the title 28 times.</p><p>The final takes place next Sunday with all matches held at the indoor hard-court Martin Carpena arena.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is aiming to cap his emotional farewell from tennis with another Davis Cup triumph in Malaga next week.</p>

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is aiming to cap his emotional farewell from tennis with another Davis Cup triumph in Malaga next week.

Tennis: End of an era as Nadal aims for winning Davis Cup farewell

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Tennis: End of an era as Nadal aims for winning Davis Cup farewell

Agence France-Presse,

Rik Sharma

Published November 17, 2024 04:01 PM PHT

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Updated November 21, 2024 04:53 AM PHT

Read More:

abssports

tennis

Davis Cup

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Rafael Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz

Italy

Jannik Sinner

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