"Can't believe this is it"; "How will we survive this?" - Fans turn emotional as Rafael Nadal begins practice in Malaga ahead of retirement next week

Fans were flooded with emotion as Rafael Nadal arrived in Malaga on Thursday, November 14, for the final tournament of his professional career, representing Spain at the Davis Cup Finals. Spain are scheduled to face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.

Videos of Nadal’s arrival at Malaga airport quickly went viral on social media, showing the Spaniard in high spirits as he greeted compatriot Feliciano Lopez. The tennis legend was warmly welcomed by enthusiastic fans, eager to capture pictures and autographs before he bids farewell to his illustrious career next week.

The Davis Cup's official X account posted one of the videos of Nadal's arrival and fans were struggling to process the reality of the 22-time Grand Slam champion's final tournament. One fan summed up the collective despair, writing:

"Oh my gosh.. how will we survive this??"

Another admitted to being in denial, commenting:

"I'm going to deny it until it happens."

"I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I quite simply can’t f***ing do this," one fan confessed.

For one fan, the mere thought of Nadal’s retirement brings unease. They wrote:

"The way I get that super stressed feeling in my stomach every time i see smth about Rafa now because I don’t want him to leave :( "

"I can’t believe this is it," another fan wrote.

One fan shared a heartfelt farewell, writing:

"I am going to miss you more than you know Rafa Nadal! Soo much. x"

Nadal also took part in his first practice session in Malaga before the Davis Cup Finals begin next week.

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Rafael Nadal to end his pro tennis career after playing for Spain at the Davis Cup Finals 2024

Rafael Nadal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Image: Getty)

In October, Rafael Nadal took to his social media to announce that his days as a professional tennis player were coming to an end. In an emotional video, the 22-time Grand Slam champion stated:

"I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, especially the last two."

He further revealed his final tournament:

"But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004."

Nadal is a four-time Davis Cup winner holding a 37-5 record in singles and doubles at the event. On November 19, Spain, represented by Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Batista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta, and Marcelo Granollers, will face the Netherlands in the quarterfinal of the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.