Davis Cup Final 8 Teams & Rafa's Official Retirement Party

[jimlosaltos]

It's official, Rafa's retirement farewell celebration will be at the Davis Cup this month.

"Nadal has confirmed he will retire after playing one last time for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals, with plans being organised to celebrate the career of a player Lopez describes as the ‘greatest Spanish athlete of all-time’. Lopez played alongside Nadal in Davis Cup ties and will now help to organise what looks set to be an emotional farewell, with some of the game’s all-time greats expected to be in attendance. “For now, I know that almost everyone in the world wants to be present for his farewell,” said former world No 12 Lopez. “Novak Djokovic has said that he wants to be there. Also, Andy Murray wants to be there. Also, there are many more who want to be there and I don’t know if we are going to have seats for everyone.

Repeating this fixing a broken link plus a typo in title
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Davis Cup Final 8
Nov 19-24 Malaga
Played in parallel with the Billie Jean Cup, also in Malaga, Nov 13-20

Schedule for the Final 8:

Quarter-finals
Tuesday 19 November (5 p.m. CET): Netherlands v Spain
Wednesday 20 November (12 p.m. CET): Germany v Canada
Thursday 21 November (10 a.m. CET): USA v Australia
Thursday 21 November (not before 5 p.m. CET): Italy v Argentina

Semi-finals
Friday 22 November (5 p.m. CET): Germany or Canada v Netherlands or Spain
Saturday 23 November (1 p.m. CET): Italy or Argentina v USA or Australia

Final
Sunday 24 November (4 p.m. CET): Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2

[jimlosaltos]

It's hard to figure out when Rafa's last "real" pro match will occur let alone how to watch it.

Fortunately, the AP has sorted that out:
.

The ATP summarizes: "It’s not entirely clear when Nadal’s last match will come, in large part because the Davis Cup is a team event and what’s now known as the “Final 8” begins at the quarterfinal stage. Spain will get things started against the Netherlands on Tuesday. Win that, and the Spaniards would advance to the semifinals Friday against Canada or Germany (who meet each other Wednesday). The other quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday: the United States vs. Australia, and defending champion Italy vs. Argentina. The championship round will be Sunday. There are two matches in singles and one in doubles in each matchup; the first country to win twice progresses. The other wild card in all of this: No one knows for sure whether Nadal will be chosen by Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, to play singles, doubles, both or — theoretically possible, if unlikely — neither."
.

AP summary is at this link.

And the DC list of broadcasters by country/region is at this link.

[jimlosaltos]

In what MIGHT be Rafael Nadal's final match, he was upset in the Davis Cup quarterfinals by Botic van de Zandschlup of the Netherlands, giving his team a 1-0 lead.

While Botic is only ranked 80th, he added Rafa to a list of impressive upsets that includes Carlos Alcaraz earlier this year at the US Open.

Captain David Ferrer is reportedly pairing Carlos with veteran Marcel Granollers in the Doubles, should that tie be played.

ATP: "The weight of Spain now falls on the shoulders of the current No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Carlos Alcaraz, who will aim to level the tie when he takes Tallon Griekspoor. If the Spaniard is successful, Wesley Koolhof, who is also retiring from the sport at the end of the event, will partner Van de Zandschulp in a deciding rubber against Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers. The winner of the tie will face either Germany or Canada in the semi-finals on Friday.

There is always a distinctive atmosphere at the Davis Cup, but the intensity surrounding this fixture in Malaga felt unmatched. As the Spanish team lined up for their national anthem, Nadal stood front and centre, visibly moved. Tears welled in the eyes of the 22-time Grand Slam champion, as if the weight of his legacy, his achievements, and the entirety of his career had flashed before him.
"

[jimlosaltos]

Roger Federer's retirement letter to Rafa, 3 pages

1 of 3 posts.

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[jimlosaltos]

2 of 3

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[jimlosaltos]

3 of 3

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[jimlosaltos]

And, it's over. Netherlands eliminates Spain 2-1. Sayonara, Rafa.

Faces winner of Germany v Canada.

Top half Italy v Argentina meets Winner USA v Australia.

Since it's Italy v Slovakia in the BJK Cup finals, and Jannik Sinner just won the ATP Tour Finals, one could fairly say Italian tennis is no a roll.

[neilchok]

how beautiful!! it is nice to see tennis is more than just the matches and winning, but friendship as well!!!

[jimlosaltos]

how beautiful!! it is nice to see tennis is more than just the matches and winning, but friendship as well!!!

Agreed. And good sportsmanship. Old school