Wed Nov 20 08:54:41 UTC 2024: ## Canadian Tennis Star Fernandez Starstruck by Nadal in Malaga

**MALAGA, SPAIN** – Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, experienced a major fan-girl moment this week in Malaga, Spain, as she encountered her idol, Rafael Nadal, ahead of his final professional tournament. Fernandez, currently competing in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, spotted Nadal at the gym and excitedly summoned her entire Canadian team to witness the legendary Spanish tennis player.

“I was in the gym finishing up my recovery, and then Rafa was coming in, and I was telling everybody, the team, that Rafa is here,” Fernandez recounted, describing her excitement. “I was just fan-girling the whole night.”

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, is playing his final tournament representing Spain in the Davis Cup Finals, which begin on November 19th, just one day after the conclusion of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard’s participation is highly anticipated, with expectations of packed stands for Spain’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands.

Spanish Davis Cup captain David Ferrer, himself a former tennis star, expressed his emotional anticipation for Nadal’s farewell. “I didn’t cry when I retired from tennis, but maybe I’ll for Rafa,” Ferrer admitted to Marca earlier this month. “What happens in Malaga is not going to change his life or his career, but I would like him to leave tennis with a good taste in his mouth.”

Nadal’s participation in the Davis Cup Finals hinges on his fitness. The plan is for him to play singles if he is healthy, otherwise he will likely compete in doubles. The event promises a poignant and emotional conclusion to one of tennis’s most illustrious careers.

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