HIS LEGACY IS ETERNAL

Nadal spirit was willing but flesh weak

- Neil McLeman

CARLOS ALCARAZ said Rafael Nadal will leave an "eternal legacy" that he cannot hope to match after his fellow Spaniard retired in tears here at the Davis Cup.

Nadal, aiming to bow out with a win, lost to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening singles on Tuesday.

His exit was confirmed at midnight local time when Spain were eliminated.

It meant a farewell ceremony planned for Friday fell by the wayside, after Nadal himself had said beforehand that "ideal endings were for American movies".

So, the 38-year-old returned to the court in the Palacio de Deportes and broke down in tears during a video tribute from Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Sergio Garcia and even David Beckham.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz paid his own tribute, saying: "There will be many more Davises [Cups] but there is only one Rafa.