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 wishes.

Rafael Nadal officially retired from professional tennis on Tuesday, November 19, after Spain was eliminated by Netherlands on Day 1 of the Davis Cup Finals. The 22-time Grand Slam champion dreamed of finishing in style in Malaga, but nothing went in the right direction.

Rafa Nadal said he wanted to be remembered as a good person and a kid who achieved more than his dreams in an emotional farewell to tennis in Malaga.

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.

Rafael Nadal retires from professional tennis after a 23-year career like no other. On a night of gratitude and grief, Spain led the world in saying "Gracias Rafa".

Rafa Nadal debunks retirement rumors, joining Spain's Davis Cup squad to chase glory. His participation remains undecided.

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

According to El Espanol, this was because the retirement ceremony was expected to take place on Friday - on the assumption Spain would win their quarter-final. This has attracted

Davis Cup Finals tournament director Feliciano Lopez and International Tennis Federation president David Haggerty have defended Rafael Nadal’s retirement ceremony. Former world No 1 and 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal played the final match of his career at the Finals in Malaga this week.