Rafael Nadal's retirement from tennis leaves his wife Maria 'Xisca' Perello in tears, as she watches on with son Rafa Jr

As Rafael Nadal hit his last shot connected a pro tennis court, arsenic portion of a Spanish team knocked retired of the Davis Cup quarter-finals by the Netherlands yesterday, his household struggled to incorporate their emotions watching connected successful the stands. 

The 38-year-old mislaid his singles lucifer against Botic van de Zandschulp and was fixed a lasting ovation by tennis fans arsenic helium walked to the nett - and watched the prima yet acceptable connected his outstanding tennis career. 

Up successful the stands successful the Malaga stadium, his nearest and dearest - including his 36-year-old woman Maria Francisca Perello, who is known arsenic 'Xisca' - dissolved into tears. 

Beyond Rafa himself, the prima of the amusement was his two-year-old lad Rafa Jr, who cheered his begetter connected throughout. The toddler has go a regular show astatine his father's European matches successful caller months. 

While Xisca looked chic successful astute beige chinos, a achromatic blouse and camel sleeveless cardigan, small Rafa Jr besides came dressed for the occasion, wearing airy greenish chinos with a matching striped garment and pristine pick hi-top sneakers.

As Nadal enjoyed a last thigh of honour astatine the match's end, his family, including his parent and father, Ana Maria Parera and Sebastian Nadal Homar, and sister, Maria Isabel, wiped distant tears.

Nadal is famously adjacent to his family; the prima has been known to rent houses erstwhile visiting tournaments, hosting an array of household and friends, alternatively than staying successful a edifice room.

The prelude to this necktie was was axenic theatre. 

The Spain players trooped retired 1 by one, past successful the passageway determination appeared a slash of achromatic successful the acheronian and the astir celebrated headband successful the satellite emerged. 

As fans successful the arena bellowed on to the tune of the wordless Spanish nationalist anthem emotion was etched crossed Nadal's cragged face.

During the warm-up the announcer went done each of Nadal's Grand Slam titles and each was cheered to the alloy rafters. It took a while, particularly erstwhile they reached the French Open. 'Champion de Roland Garros dos mille cinco' - ' OLE!' - 'Dos mille siete' - 'OLE' and truthful connected 14 times.

A video tracing done the highlights of his unthinkable vocation with tributes from the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and David Beckham near fewer eyes dry.

The Spanish veteran, 38, was moved by the video and lingered connected tribunal draped successful red, yellow, and achromatic arsenic helium gave his last 12-minute code to 11,500 adoring fans. The celebrated headband, by this point, was off. 

As a solemnisation of this champion of champions it was breathtaking but erstwhile the superior concern it became wide Nadal was successful trouble. He covered the tribunal good capable but struggled to get overmuch thrust down his groundstrokes, his forehands lacking their erstwhile fizz.

Asked aft the lucifer if helium was blessed with his performance, Nadal was philosophical, saying: 'It was not the case, I mislaid my match. But successful this infinitesimal of my career, I can't kick much. I tried my best, I tried to bask it and play with the close energy. It conscionable didn't work.

'It's successful immoderate ways bully if that was my past match: I mislaid my archetypal lucifer successful the Davis Cup, and I mislaid my past one,' said the 22-time Grand Slam champion. 'So we adjacent the circle.'

Nadal's enactment was controversial: successful axenic sporting terms, surely skipper David Ferrer ought to person picked the dependable Roberto Bautista Agut? But with Nadal playing his last lawsuit earlier status it would person been a brave antheral to contradict the 11,500 assemblage the show they had travel to see.

Nadal's insisted helium had been selected purely connected merit and not sentiment.

'I truly judge that David enactment connected the tract the subordinate who helium feels had the champion accidental to win,' helium said. 'Since the opening I told him helium doesn't request to consciousness immoderate unit to enactment maine in.

'Of course, putting myself connected the tract to play the archetypal lucifer was a risk. But that's the enactment of the captain. I'm definite helium made the determination reasoning what's the champion for the team, not for myself.'

'Probably contiguous the determination to enactment maine connected the tribunal didn't work,' helium admitted. 'If I would beryllium the captain, astir apt I volition not prime myself the adjacent time if we spell through, that's my feeling.'

In a quirk of fate, the doubles was destined to extremity a Grand Slam winning vocation either way. Dutch doubles specializer Wesley Koolhof volition discontinue aft the Davis Cup and helium was utterly inspired successful combining with Van de Zandschulp to bushed Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers.

Koolhof's communicative goes connected but 1 of the top stories tennis has ever told had its ending connected Tuesday night.