TORONTO — In the moments following his final match, an emotional Daniel Nestor took to the court — alone — and faced his home crowd, many of whom were wiping tears from their eyes. Soon, Nestor joined them, choking up when looking back on a legendary career unlikely to be matched.
But when you know, you know.
“I know that it’s my time,” the 46-year old Nestor said following a four-set loss to the Netherlands at the Davis Cup, the end of a storied 26-year career.
“I wanted to play better, but my level is just not good enough anymore. These guys were probably feeling comfortable serving to me.”
It’s certainly not something opponents would have felt often during the more than 1,100 weeks Nestor spent ranked in the top 100.
But on Saturday Nestor certainly wasn’t at his best. He double-faulted, missed opportunities we’d grown used to seeing him capitalize on, and, apart from the opening set, fuelled in part by a supportive crowd, never really posed much of a threat.
His partner, Vasek Pospisil, also was off his game and typically balanced his oft-brilliant play with a few too many avoidable errors, including the match’s final shot, which sailed into the net.
Fittingly, Nestor’s swan song came in a match of legitimate importance.
This wasn’t an exhibition game, or some phony PR-orchestrated send-off — this match actually mattered, which also mattered to the man himself. You don’t stay active in pro sports for more than two-and-a-half decades without a borderline-pathological desire to compete.
Canada entered Saturday’s action with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five format, leaving Nestor the opportunity to exit the stage by helping to guarantee the victory.
His opponents, Jean-Julien Rojer and Matwe Middelkoop, playing in their first competitive match together, were in the driver’s seat throughout, and won 62 of their points off of their first serve.
About halfway through the match, there was a wardrobe change for Canada, from corresponding white tees to red shirts that matched many in the stands. Nestor’s shirt was faded nearly pink. As the man himself noted, it wasn’t a particularly sharp performance from Nestor, who brings his 2018 record to a forgettable 6-21.
But today was about more than today.
With 91 titles — including 12 Grand Slams, mixed doubles included, across all four major tournaments — Nestor’s legendary status in the sport reaches far beyond Canada’s borders.
Here in the north, he represented so much for so long that it’s obviously very fitting, and a happy coincidence, that his last match would take place on home soil.
The numbers speak for themselves. At number-one overall in the world — a ranking he held on seven different occasions throughout his career, most recently in 2012 — he is and will remain the highest-ranked Canadian pro of all-time.
At the Davis Cup he’s represented his country every step of the way over the past 26 years, holding records for the most events played (53), total wins (48), and doubles wins (33), while sitting second all-time in singles wins (15).
Despite carving out a Hall of Fame doubles resume, it was in singles at this very event in 1992 when a rookie Nestor first made his mark, beating then-world number one Stefan Edberg.
Since then he’s paved a path for those that followed, and remained a relentless constant as he witnessed Canada develop into a blossoming power on the world stage.
Milos Raonic, who will face Netherlands’ Robin Haase on Sunday for the chance to seal the tournament victory for Canada and advance them in the World Group, recalls early moments in his career when he looked up to Nestor.
“When I was young, he was the presence in the locker room,” Raonic said. “He’s always been there to give advice and show by example.” Raonic pointed to his early rise during his first years on the pro tour, when he vaulted into the top 100, and as high as number 26, within a matter of months back in 2011. “Things changed for me very quickly,” Raonic said. “I didn’t have a chance to work my way into things, and he made [that transition] easier for me.”
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Pospisil has had the chance to learn first-hand from Nestor, who he played alongside in 31 doubles matches “Daniel is one of my best friends on tour,” he said after the match. “So it kind of sucks that he’s leaving.” It was just a few years ago, ahead of another Davis Cup tie-break, that Pospisil, 28, told me he still gets nervous playing with someone he looked up to so much growing up.
As for Raonic, when asked what he’ll remember most about Nestor’s career, there was no hesitation. “None of the results,” he said, instead admiring Nestor’s love of the game. “I don’t think there are many people that have the passion for tennis that he does.”
As you’d imagine, it’s a sentiment shared by many.
“An unbelievable career,” said his opponent and friend, Netherlands veteran Rojer. “People just say that, but it’s really unbelievable. His resumé is the longest on the court, and that comes with a lot of work, so you have to respect that. I know that he was looking forward to this match.” He added that he was impressed with Nestor’s play early in the match but, as always, “Father Time remains undefeated.”
After the match, Nestor seemed very much a man at peace with a decision he says he made over a year ago.
His competitive playing days may be over now, but Nestor maintains that he plans to stay steadily involved in Canadian tennis during his next chapter. What that involves — whether front and centre as a coach, or in a development or ambassadorial role behind the scenes, is yet to be determined.
After one of the lengthiest careers we’ve ever seen, you can excuse Daniel Nestor if he isn’t altogether ready to walk into the sunset quite yet.