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MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 19: Players of Spain line up for national anthems during Day 2 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 19, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 19: Players of Spain line up for national anthems during Day 2 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 19, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Hosted by Spain, Austria, and Italy, the 2021 Davis Cup is rife with losses that shock and memorable matches. Sadly, Rafael Nadal, too, was one of those watching the cup instead of playing.
Team Spain, the defending champions of the Davis Cup, were knocked out of the tournament. Following their loss against team Russia, the six-time champions exited the event.
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Rafael Nadal calls Spain’s loss ‘bad luck’
Rafael Nadal, who has contributed to five of Spain’s six Davis Cup wins, expressed how he felt about his nation’s exit from the tournament this week. At the COPE Popular Awards in his hometown Mallorca, Nadal was given the Popular Award of Honor.

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MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 24: (L-R) Marcel Granollers, Feliciano Lopez, Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut and Rafael Nadal pose for a photo as Roberto Bautista Agut lifts the trophy following their victory over Canada during Day Seven of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 24, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
In his acceptance speech, the 20-time Grand Slam champion talked about his foot, which was the cause of his exit from the 2021 season. Furthermore, he talked about his return to the court, saying it is still touch-and-go on his recovery.
ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal Applauds Compatriot Feliciano Lopez’s Epic Win Over Andrey Rublev at Davis Cup 2021
Moreover, the Mallorcan talked about Spain’s elimination from the Davis Cup. Nadal talked about the result of the Spain team- “A shame, having won 3-0 (against Ecuador) and lost 2-1.”
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The Spanish legend further talked about how his teammate Feliciano Lopez played great, but the result wasn’t favorable. “We were much closer to winning because Feli did a great game, it escaped us due to bad luck… A shame, but this was a difficult situation.”
(Quotes have been translated using Google Translate)
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Rafa hopes to play in Abu Dhabi in December
2021 was a difficult year for Rafael Nadal, with his foot being the cause for his exit from the tour. Not having played since August, Nadal revealed how he hopes to be playing before the end of the year.

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – FEBRUARY 07: Academy Member Boris Becker passes the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award to Rafael Nadal during the award ceremony for the 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards at the Emirates Palace on February 7, 2011 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images for Laureus)
“My idea as I said a few weeks ago is to be in Abu Dhabi- things are analyzed as the weeks go by- with the idea of returning as soon as possible but returning well.”
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The entire tennis community desperately wants to see the Spaniard on the court again, but only as long as he feels one hundred percent healthy himself.
DIVE DEEPER: Elina Svitolina Aims to Follow Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Others’ Footsteps
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