MALAGA, Spain -- Based on how he played in his defeat to Botic Van De Zandschulp in the Davis Cup quarterfinals Tuesday, Rafael Nadal says he wouldn't pick himself again for Spain this week as he nears retirement.
Ultimately it will be captain David Ferrer's call, but Nadal said after his 6-4, 6-4 loss to Van de Zandschulp that he didn't show good enough form to warrant being picked ahead of Roberto Bautista Agut if Spain ends up defeating the Netherlands and qualifying for the semifinals.
"That's why we have a captain on the team, you know. I am not the captain," Nadal said. "But, I mean, he make decision today. Hopefully, we have the chance to go through. And probably watching that today what the decision that at the end to put me on the court like second player didn't work, probably the easy move and maybe the right move is to change. No, that's the truth.
"For me, that's the way that I think as if I, I mean, if I would be the captain, probably I will change, I don't put myself the next day. If we go through, that's my feeling. But at the end, is not my decision, and I'm sure that he will make the best decision possible for the team. I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one. So we close the circle."
There was an air of finality to the way Nadal spoke as attempted to pick through what went wrong against the Dutchman. He emphasized that he put no pressure on Ferrer to pick him to play the Netherlands in this farewell tournament.
Nadal will retire from the sport after Spain's Davis Cup campaign finishes, and while he hopes his final act tennis comes Sunday in the final, he'll need a favor from his teammates to keep the team in the tournament after he lost.
"Of course, have been an emotional day, nerves before what can be my last singles match like professional," Nadal said. "That's the way that I felt that. And then, yeah, of course, the emotions, feeling the national anthem for the last time like professional have been, you know, very special. And then of course a little bit of mixed feelings makes the things a little bit more difficult.
"I tried to do my best. I tried to, at the same time, to stay as positive as possible in every single moment, to play with the right energy. Was not enough. Congrats to Botic. That's all. He was better than me."
If Spain manages to defeat the Netherlands, it will play the winner of Germany's match with Canada on Friday. Nadal is hoping he will yet feature again later in the week.
"I mean, as I said, I went on court and I came here with the goal to help the team the way that I could help," he said. "Today I was selected to be on the court, so I tried to help the team to put a win out there, but was not possible.
"I go there, I try my best, I try to enjoy and play with the right energy, with the right attitude. Just didn't work. And was a possibility that that would happen.
"I really hope that Carlos [Alcaraz] going to win his match, and then the doubles too. So, hopefully, we can keep going and I will keep working hard every day to be on the team in case that the team needs me one more time. If not, just support from the bench."