Rafael Nadal will undoubtedly assume a significant role in Spanish tennis over the next two to three years, according to former doubles world No. 1 Rennae Stubbs.
After competing in the final match of his incredible 23-year career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga last week, Nadal announced his retirement from tennis.
Stubbs stated that she believes Nadal will lead Spain in the Davis Cup in the upcoming years and pointed out a distinction between the Spaniard and Roger Federer.
She said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast: “What made me the happiest, the thing I got the most joy out of watching the doubles because the guys lost 7-6, 7-6, was watching Rafa watching them. I have never seen a guy more pumped to watch another team try and win a match. He was up and out of the stands; he was pointing his finger.”
She added: “There is no doubt that in the next two or three years he will be the captain of the Spain Davis Cup team. He was yelling at David Ferrer. He was calling him over. He was going up, saying stuff to him. He was yelling at [Carlos] Alcaraz, pointing his finger, saying stuff to him. It was so great to watch. None of it was over the top; none of it was inappropriate. He was just so into it. He loves tennis. I know Roger [Federer] loves tennis, but I think Roger loved tennis and the whole thing about his fame and the people and he loved being loved. Rafa just loved to compete. The effort he put in in the singles match, he tried to ends of the earth in that match.”
Five-time Davis Cup champion Nadal finished with an amazing 29-2 singles record in the team competition and an even better 8-4 doubles record.
