Rafael Nadal's relatively low-key retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup was defended by the head of the International Tennis Federation on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal’s relatively low-key retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup has been defended by the head of the International Tennis Federation as being dictated by the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s wishe

Rafael Nadal’s coach has described the Spaniard’s farewell ceremony at the Davis Cup as ‘scruffy and shabby’. Nadal played the final match of his career on Tuesday night as he lost in straight sets to Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup quarter final in Malaga.

Rafael Nadal of Team Spain gets emotional while watching a video on the giants screens during his farewell after Spain being knocked out on the quarterfinal tie between Netherlands and Spain during the Davis Cup Finals at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on November 19,

Rafa Nadal will not dwell on his impending retirement at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga and only focus on helping Spain claim the trophy this week should he be called into action, the 38-year-old said on Monday.

Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest men's tennis players in history, closed out his legendary career playing for Spain in the Davis Cup.

Nadal's greatest rival was probably not across the net, but his own body. "The only question with Rafa is physically how much his body can handle the pounding with how hard he works for every point," said American 14-times Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras in a 2010 interview with Reuters.

It was an emotional farewell from tennis for Nadal this week after Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup in Malaga

Davis Cup organisers said tennis superstar Rafael Nadal had the retirement ceremony that he wanted this week in Malaga, despite some criticism of the event from people close to the player. "People can have whatever opinions they want,