Davis Cup quarterfinals: Spain suffers 1-2 loss against Netherlands as Nadal retires
Although Nadal fought hard against the Dutch in the opening set, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was unable to stop the 29-year-old from winning the first set
After a couple of losses in 2006 and 2007 to Roger Federer in the final of the Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal had finally managed to get the better of his arch-rival in 2008 in a match that is widely touted as one of the greatest of all time in the history of the sport.
“Wimbledon for everybody is special. When I was a kid most of the time I saw Sampras winning. For me, it was a personal goal,” Nadal told the BBC.
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“Well, I think 2006 I went to that final without believing in victory. 2007 was a completely different story. I felt ready to compete and I was there. I lost the 5th and I had my chances. In 2008 I was playing great. I came into the final with the feeling that I was not the favorite but I was ready to win. And I never stopped believing in victory. I had some tough moments, especially in the fourth set.”
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Nadal defeated Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7 (5–7), 6–7 (8–10), 9–7 in a match that lasted four hours and 48 minutes.
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