Botic van de Zandschulp had no intention of following the script on Tuesday in his Davis Cup Final 8 clash with Rafael Nadal.
The 29-year-old eased to a 6-4, 6-4 win to put Netherlands 1-0 ahead in their quarter-final tie against Spain. Unfazed by the magnitude of the occasion, Van de Zandschulp delivered an initial blow to Nadal’s hopes of drawing the curtain on his life as a pro with a sixth Davis Cup crown.
Later in the day, Van de Zandschulp teamed with Wesley Koolhof for a 7-6(4), 7-6(3) doubles victory against Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers that ended Nadal’s career. The Dutch duo stayed clutch at key moments to earn their country a 2-1 victory after Carlos Alcaraz had downed Tallon Griekspoor in the second singles rubber.
Botic van de Zandschulp in action against Rafael Nadal on Tuesday in Malaga. Photo Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images
“In the beginning, I think we were both nervous,” said Van de Zandschulp after his singles win against Nadal. “The first set didn’t go too smoothly, the crowd was tough, understandably. That’s what it’s like to play in Spain against Rafa. He’s the biggest sportsman that [has] ever lived here in Spain. It was a really special event.
“It’s tough to close out a match against him, knowing that it could be his last or not. I was hoping more than going for it, but in the end, I just went for it and that helped.”
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.
All the emotions ❤️🇪🇸@RafaelNadal | @DavisCup
pic.twitter.com/kqxqUc7iB3
The electric atmosphere inside the arena, fueled by raucous chants of; 'Rafa, Rafa' from the capacity crowd, seemed to weigh heavily on Van de Zandschulp in the early stages. The Dutchman fired three consecutive double faults in his opening service game, but managed to steady himself and ease into the affair.
In stark contrast to the relentless baseline play that has defined Nadal’s career, the 38-year-old adopted a more aggressive serve-and-volley approach. Van de Zandschulp, alert to the tactical shift, capitalised with two passing shot winners to break Nadal’s serve in a pivotal ninth game before closing out the first set.
Despite competing in his first match since his second-round loss to Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics, there were moments of brilliance from Nadal. The trademark grit and determination that would become a hallmark of his illustrious career was on full display in the sixth game of the second set. In a back-and-forth tussle lasting 10 minutes, Nadal stayed within touching distance to claw back one of the breaks of serve, encapsulating everything that he stands for, both on and off the court.
Ridiculous Rafa! 🤯#DavisCup @RafaelNadal #Rafa #GraciasRafa pic.twitter.com/IU0GPrUhNQ
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 19, 2024After Nadal had reeled off two consecutive games for the first time in the match to move to 3-4, doubts started to reappear in Van de Zandschulp’s game. The Dutchman, however, mustered some gutsy serving from 0/30 to silence the Spanish supporters.
After one hour, 53 minutes of battle fueled by emotion, Van de Zandschulp held his nerve to put an end to Nadal’s 29-match winning streak at the Davis Cup.
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