Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic named and shamed as Rafa Nadal 'let down'

Rafael Nadal's tennis vocation is present over, but Roger Federer and galore others person been called retired for not being determination for the Spaniard's last match

Spanish Davis Cup skipper David Ferrer has called retired tennis legends Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic and ex-NBA prima Pau Gasol for not attending Rafael Nadal's past match.

At 38, the Spanish titan's vocation was brought to a adjacent by Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp, who ousted the 22-time Grand Slam victor 6-4, 6-4. Recently, Nadal announced he would locomotion distant aft Spain's Davis Cup campaign, astir apt hoping his vocation would extremity successful the last connected November 24.

While Carlos Alcaraz's consecutive sets triumph implicit Tallon Griekspoor forced a deciding leg, the young Spaniard, alongside Marcel Granollers, would suffer to Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof successful doubles successful the last leg. When the matches were finished, Nadal gave an affectional code and received applause from the fans and players present.

However, his erstwhile rivals Federer and Djokovic were not among those offering their respect to the Spaniard. When the lawsuit was over, Ferrer, a erstwhile World No.3 himself, lashed retired astatine cardinal figures who were not present.

Speaking to Partidazo de Cope, Ferrer said: "The farewell was done with the champion intentions, but it was aft losing and successful a hurry... it was a spot sad. When you don't win, it's already a bittersweet moment. I missed Federer, Djokovic, Gasol, who is simply a adjacent person of his.

"He was going to beryllium determination connected Friday. I shouldn't person been the 1 to speak. Others should have. But Rafa's greatness is not going to alteration with a amended oregon worse tribute.

"I'm bittersweet astir everything, astir however it went, astir losing...it wasn't the script we wanted. We were favourites, but we didn't amusement it. And the farewell of idiosyncratic arsenic important arsenic Rafa was lacklustre.

"Very important radical successful his vocation and rivals were missing. I missed those people. Things are what they are and we person to judge them. Rafa volition person plentifulness of clip to person tributes astatine large tournaments specified arsenic Roland Garros and helium volition person the farewell helium deserves.

"It was his past match, it was the extremity of his tennis career. We won't spot him connected a tribunal anymore and it's existent that I missed that a small bit. Rafa's greatness deserved thing more."

Ferrer wasn't unsocial successful feeling fto down by Nadal's send-off. His uncle and erstwhile coach, Toni Nadal, was peculiarly disappointed by the deficiency of ocular contented and euphony commemorating his vocation astatine the match. Speaking to El Larguero, helium said: "It was emotional, obviously, with the enactment of the audience... but I peculiarly similar images.

"I would person liked to spot images of Rafael's matches astatine the Davis Cup successful Seville, successful Madrid, astatine Roland Garros, Wimbledon...I deliberation it creates much emotion. I don't mean to criticise anyone, I would person liked a somewhat antithetic act, that's all.

"I admit the bully intentions, but I would person liked thing else. Nowadays you tin bash overmuch much affectional acts by mixing euphony with images. Rafael is simply a feline whose images convey passion. If they had enactment immoderate images of him, it would person been much successful line, but I admit the intent."

Nadal retired arsenic 1 of the champion players ever to grace the game. He won 22 Grand Slams, 92 ATP level-singles and an Olympic golden medal during his glittering career.