RAFA NADAL PREPARES TO PLAY THE DAVIS CUP IN MALAGA

Rafael Nadal introduced himself to the world in the 2004 Davis Cup final. In front of more than 27,000 people at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville, the Mallorcan won the second point of the tie against Andy Roddick in an epic match that brought an entire country to its feet.

Now, more than 20 years later and after becoming a legend of the sport, the 22-time Grand Slam champion has chosen this competition (Davis Cup) to definitively lower the curtain on his career as a professional athlete.

“It’s closing the circle,” said Carlos Moyà, one of Rafa’s coaches. “The start of his stellar career, the turning point, was the 2004 Davis Cup, when he beat Roddick. It was from then on that we began to see his true potential, becoming the player we have since seen. It’s very nice for him to say goodbye like this, in Spain and in this team competition. It will be something very special, and his mind is on making things difficult for the captain so that he can be chosen, knowing that there are great players on the team.” Upon ending his career, Nadal set the last “clear and realistic objective” of his professional life: to represent Spain in the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. With that objective, the Balearic player is training hard at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, with the aim of adding a lot to the team captained by David Ferrer.