Spanish tennis star, Rafael Nadal held a packed press conference on Monday as he prepared to end his glittering career by trying to lead Spain to success in the Davis Cup.

Carlos Alcaraz /Rafael Nadal(R) of Spain react during the man's doubles quarterfinal of tennis against Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram of the United States at Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, July 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

The 38-year-old, 22-time Grand Slam winner, will retire from tennis after the tournament with an increasingly difficult battle against injures, but he told a packed room that he should not be the center of attention.

"I'm not here for retiring. I'm here to help the team win (…) It's a team competition and the most important thing is to all stay focused on what we have to do - that is play tennis and do it very well."

"The emotions will be at the end," insisted Nadal, who was asked if he would be able to control his emotions.

"I don't know: it's not something I can predict (…) the important thing is to help the team, to focus and to do things well."

"Our rivals and the conditions are very difficult, and you have to focus on what you have to do," he added.

Nadal said he was "enjoying the week" ahead of his retirement.

"I know it means a big change in my life, but I don't know what will happen in the future," he commented.

The Spanish start their Davis Cup finals campaign against the Netherlands, and if they will, they will face either Germany or Canada in Friday's semifinals.

Spain captain, David Ferrer commented that he didn't "know yet" if Nadal would play.

The veteran has not played a competitive match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Olympic Games in early August.

"You will know tomorrow. For the moment, I have not decided the players that are going to play," explained the captain.

If Nadal isn't fully fit, either Roberto Bautista Agut or Pedro Martinez will play singles alongside Carlos Alcaraz, according to Ferrer.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)