Rafael Nadal's professional tennis career came to an end on Tuesday, November 19. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had dreamed of a stylish finish in Malaga, but things didn't go as planned. Captain David Ferrer's decision to field Rafa in the first singles against Botic van de Zandschulp proved to be a misstep. The Spanish legend, after a long period of inactivity, struggled initially but started to play better when the situation became challenging. Carlos Alcaraz's subsequent victory in the second singles couldn't prevent Spain's elimination. This also affected Nadal's farewell ceremony, which was rather sad due to the absence of many key figures in his career.

Controversy Surrounding the Farewell

The former world number 1 managed to avoid major controversies. However, almost everyone criticized the way the organizers paid homage to one of the greatest tennis players ever. Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, immediately returned to Mallorca, eager to start a new chapter in his life. His entire family was present in Malaga, including his son Rafa, while his uncle Toni couldn't make it due to some commitments.

Golfing After Retirement

Rafa is now enjoying life after retirement and focusing on his passions outside of tennis. On Saturday, November 23, he participated in a golf tournament in Mallorca and achieved an excellent result. As a former world No. 1 with skills in both tennis and golf, he was in first position at one point. But some errors in the last holes led him to finish in eighth place out of 76 players. He has time to become even better at golf and explore new experiences that were previously impossible during his professional tennis days. His legacy on red clay will last forever, and he has set incredible records on this surface, overtaking legends like Bjorn Borg.

Insights from Justine Henin

In a recent interview with Eurosport, WTA legend Justine Henin spoke about Nadal's amazing numbers on clay. She said, "Roland-Garros will survive Rafael Nadal, fortunately, but the mark he left will be eternal. What he did is unique. Some may have seen his domination as taking away from the tournament's interest for the crowd. But when someone takes control like he did and seizes the keys, he doesn't want to share them." She also added, "It may seem strange, but I find a lot of myself in Rafael Nadal. We only have a small shared history at Roland Garros. He continued his journey differently, but we still have this in common. We never discussed it, but his gaze towards his clan, his habits, his routine, and his superstition - all that spoke to me a lot and I found myself in him at that level."

Andrea Petkovic's Perspective

Rafa's last dance disappointed some fans who hoped for more prestigious results in his last year of career. He didn't shine at the French Open either, facing Sascha Zverev in the first round. He had another chance at the Paris Olympics but suffered an injury the day before facing his eternal rival Novak Djokovic. He played the match but was defeated in two sets on the court that made him famous worldwide. After the Olympic tournament, he decided to quit, although he announced his decision later. Andrea Petkovic explained how Nadal managed to win the love of fans over time. She said, "Nowadays, people forget how much adversity Rafa faced from the crowd around the world. People loved Roger Federer and couldn't fathom a challenger as dangerous as this boy from Manacor whose whipped forehand opened the tennis court in ways thought geometrically impossible. Rafael Nadal stuck with it. He did his thing, kept winning, kept beating Roger Federer with grace and humility. And slowly, they began to like him, and in the end, they loved him passionately for his decency and his broken English, for the random music video where he made out with Shakira and his humor that started to shine through once his English improved."