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Rafael Nadal is set to bow out of tennis after the Davis Cup finals in Malaga at the end of November.
The 22-time grand slam champion has brought the curtain down on a remarakable career that saw him claim a record 14 French Open titles.
Nadal won at least two singles crowns at each of the four majors, plus Olympic golds in both singles and doubles.
His final event in the sport will come on Spanish soil as Nadal joins forces with Carlos Alcaraz in a strong home squad hoping for Davis Cup success.
Spain will contest the first quarter-final at the Martin Capena Arena against the Netherlands on 19 November, with a potential semi-final following three days later. The final will be held on Sunday 24 November.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years — these last two especially,” Nadal said in a video message posted on social media. “I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life everything has a beginning and an end.
“I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been very long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined. But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country.”
Nadal and Alcaraz are joined on the Spanish squad by Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers, with captain David Ferrer considering how best to deploy his resources.
Ferrer, hinted earlier this month that Nadal is likely to play singles as well as doubles in the quarter-final, with an encounter with Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp likely.
“I have no doubts,” Ferrer said when asked if Nadal would be able to be a key part of his team. “If he is fit and I see him training properly, he will play singles.
“When the draw was announced, I sent him a message and told him to prepare to play against Botic Van de Zandschulp. His response was clear: ‘I’ll be ready.’
“This month, he will compete in the Six Kings Slam, and I would like him to participate in another event before joining the team. I will discuss this with him in the coming weeks,”
