Rafael Nadal saw his prolific tennis career come to an end Tuesday in Malaga when Spain was eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup Finals.
On the opposite side, Wesley Koolhof put off his own retirement another few days after he Botic van de Zandschulp clinched the decisive doubles rubber, 7-6 (4), 7-6, over Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers.
Van de Zandschulp was a contributor to both points, having outclassed Nadal, 6-4, 6-4, in the opening match. Alcaraz then brought the tie back on even footing with a 7-6 (0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor.
Spain couldn’t capitalize on an early break point chance following Botic van de Zandschulp’s first double fault, as Alcaraz’s attempt to change directions came up well short. The duos went on a brief run of comfortable holds, trading occasional checks of the net man.
By 3-3, nerves were tested in each game. After Granollers saved a break point with a timely first serve, Alcaraz later carved an jaw-dropping touch volley as he moved away from Koolhof’s return coming at him.
In the following game, two miscues at the net saw the Dutchmen go from holding game point to being a point away from Spain serving for the set. Koolhof hit his targets to recover, before van de Zandschulp staved off a set point at the line two games later for 5-5.
In the tiebreak, the Netherlands twice went up a mini break with screaming return winners—a Koolhof forehand and van de Zandschulp backhand—but Spain battled to trade ends at 3-3.
Koolhof, whose shot-making and court sense impressed more and more as the set wore on, flew around after producing another brilliant return to regain the advantage. He recovered from falling on his behind upon backpedaling and flubbing his first volley to put the Dutch ahead 6-4, before Granollers shanked his return to end the dramatic 70-minute set.
After holding to open the second set, Alcaraz ignited the crowd with a loud forehand return winner off van de Zandschulp’s second serve into the body to secure the first break of the clash. An even louder “Vamos!” from Nadal followed the electric shot.
Granollers shook off a shaky start to consolidate for 3-1. The tandem in orange and white kept pace and waited for an opening. It came the next time around on the Granollers serve thanks to world-class returning, with van de Zandschulp delivering the final dagger at 30-40 with a clean forehand past the net rushing server to level for 4-4.
Down 4-5, 0-30, Alcaraz and Granollers bailed themselves out of the do-or-die situation to prolong the contest. Channeling his idol, Alcaraz turned to the crowd with a “Vamos!” and motioned his arms in playing to the boisterous audience.
A love hold from van de Zandschulp shifted the pressure back to Granollers. The five-time doubles major finalist recovered from 15-30 to force a second tiebreak after Alcaraz brilliantly converted an outstretched backhand volley.
Changing ends with the server winning all six points, who else but Koolhof to set up his partner with a stellar return in generating the crucial mini break. Van de Zandschulp just caught the line when blocking Alcaraz’s return for 5-3. Reaching match point, van de Zandschulp ripped a forehand that Granollers couldn’t handle to seal the tie.
