Carlos Moya criticizes Nadal’s Davis Cup departure

Carlos Moya, Rafael Nadal’s coach, joined the criticism of his protégé’s retirement during the Davis Cup final. The 22-time Grand Slam champion played his last professional game on Tuesday in Spain’s quarter-final loss to the Netherlands.

Nadal met Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening singles and lost 4:6, 4:6. Carlos Alcaraz later equalized, so the doubles had to decide the outcome. Although Spain were considered favorites, they were eliminated after Alcaraz/Granollers lost to Koolhof/Van de Zandschulp.

Spain’s early exit marked the end of Nadal’s career, but the absence of key figures such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic drew attention. Without the presence of these stars, Nadal’s farewell seemed “dirty and shabby,” said Moya. “It’s not the time to blame anyone… But the feeling we all have is a bit shabby and shabby. It’s true that it was a Tuesday night, but that’s sport. It was already Known months in advance that Rafa would resign if Spain lost. Nadal was way above all of this.

“I saw Rafa calmly. He had accepted that this moment would come,” Moya added. “We’ve known for months that it would happen, but we’re still processing it. It was a farewell that didn’t do justice to what Rafa Nadal represents in sport,” he concluded.

Moya was not alone in his criticism. A day earlier, Davis Cup captain David Ferrer also pointed out that Nadal’s farewell was overshadowed by the absence of his colleagues Federer and Djokovic. “The farewell to such an important player like Rafa was diluted. Perhaps some very important people were missing from his tennis career. I missed seeing these people who played an important role in his path.”

“Rafa will have many more opportunities to be honored at major tournaments like Roland Garros. But it is true that his tennis career at the professional level is over and Rafa’s farewell deserved a little more,” Ferrer added.