MALAGA, Spain -- Rafael Nadal bit his lower lip and his reddened eyes welled with tears as he stood alongside his Davis Cup teammates for Spain's national anthem Tuesday before what he -- and everyone -- knew might be the last match of his career.

Hours after Nadal's 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, the evening did turn out to represent the 22-time Grand Slam champion's farewell to professional tennis, because the Dutch eliminated the Spaniards in the quarterfinals.

The 38-year-old Nadal said beforehand that his feelings would need to be put on hold, that this week was about attempting to claim one last title for his country, not about pondering his impending retirement, which he announced last month would come after this event.

But he acknowledged after playing that the moment got to him, that "the emotions were difficult to manage," and that he felt nerves out there amid the roars of an adoring, sign- and flag-toting crowd that mostly showed up for one player and one player only.

After Nadal was beaten on the indoor hard court at the sold-out Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in southern Spain, his heir apparent, Carlos Alcaraz, evened the matchup against the Netherlands at 1-all by getting past Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the other singles match. But then van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof clinched the victory by defeating Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in the deciding doubles match.

Even if Spain had managed to get past the Netherlands in the best-of-three-match quarterfinals, Nadal said that if he were his team's captain, he wouldn't pick himself to play again in the semifinals after that performance against the 80th-ranked van de Zandschulp.

Juan Soto, Alex Bregman, Willy Adames, Pete Alonso, Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are among the 12 players who opted for free agency instead of signing the qualifying offers extended to them by their teams, leaving Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez as the lone player to accept ahead of Tuesday's deadline.

Soto, the crown jewel of this year's free-agent class, spent last season with the New York Yankees team that won the American League pennant and is widely expected to sign a contract worth at least $500 million. Bregman, Adames, Alonso, Burnes and Fried should also net nine-figure deals.

The qualifying offer is a mechanism for teams to receive compensatory draft picks when their best players sign elsewhere. Eligible free agents -- those who have not previously been given a qualifying offer and spent the entire prior season on the same team -- can be tendered a one-year contract for the mean salary of Major League Baseball's 125 highest-paid players, a number that has jumped from $13.3 million to $21.05 million over the last dozen years.

If that player signs elsewhere, his prior team will receive an additional draft pick either after the first round or fourth round, with earlier picks going to smaller-market teams and later picks given to those who carried higher payrolls. Teams that sign those players also face penalties. The harshest are levied against those that exceeded the luxury-tax threshold, costing them their second- and fifth-highest selections in the upcoming draft and an additional $1 million in international bonus pool money.

Martinez's agent Scott Boras said Monday that the righty will play next season on a one-year, $21.05 million contract. Since the qualifying-offer system began in 2012, only 14 of 144 players have accepted one.

Being tied to a qualifying offer does not typically affect high-demand free agents like Soto, Bregman, Adames, Alonso, Burnes or Fried. But the tier below them -- a list composed of outfielders Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernandez, first baseman Christian Walker, and starting pitchers Nick Pivetta, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino -- could have their markets impacted by teams hesitant to absorb the penalties that come with signing them.

The New York Mets landed veteran outfielder Jose Siri in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, the team announced Tuesday. In return, the Mets surrendered reliever Eric Orze.

Siri, 29, was tied for the lead among all center fielders in defensive runs saved last season but he struggled offensively, batting .187 with 18 homers, 14 stolen bases and an adjusted OPS+ of 76.

He'll be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, meaning he's likely to get a minor bump over his 2024 salary of $757,800.

Siri had a meandering path to the big leagues, bouncing through five organizations before making his debut with the Astros in September 2021. He has been known for playing with a demonstrative flair that can sometimes bug opponents.

Early in this offseason, some industry sources said they expected the Rays to move on from Siri, who had a staggering 170 strikeouts and just 31 walks in 448 plate appearances last season.

Harrison Bader, who was the Mets' primary center fielder last season, became a free agent again. Tyrone Taylor played well in 44 games at the position, though he just had hernia and elbow surgery, procedures from which the Mets expect him to recover by the start of spring training.

But Siri gives the Mets some coverage at the spot no matter how the rest of the offseason plays out.

A contingent representing the Mets' organization, including owner Steve Cohen and head of baseball operations David Stearns, traveled to California in recent days to meet with slugger Juan Soto. But that negotiation could continue for another week or more, with Soto and agent Scott Boras taking information and offers from the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and other teams.

Orze, 27, pitched in two games for the Mets last season, allowing four runs in 1 innings in his first-ever major league outings. He was a fifth-round pick of the Mets in the 2020 draft.

Former US Open champion Raducanu enjoyed a strong week personally in Malaga, winning all three of her matches without dropping a set.

The 22-year-old said it was a "strange feeling" to go from the high of winning her semi-final to watching the team fall agonisingly short, though added she would "take positives" from her performances after a two-month layoff because of a foot injury.

"I couldn't be more proud of Katie or how she fought," Raducanu said.

"I think it makes me really believe we can win this tournament.

"We were close. We have a great team and it makes me want to explore my doubles more for sure."

Despite the disappointment, Boulter said she was "proud" after giving everything in pursuit of a place in the final against Italy.

Keothavong, whose side came into the 12-nation finals as the second lowest-ranked team, added: "I'm so proud of the way Katie has led the team as number one.

"She just fell a little short today but she has a lot of fire in the belly."

England centre Ollie Lawrence says former boss Eddie Jones' criticism made him raise his game to meet the demands of Test rugby.

Lawrence made his England debut under Jones against Italy in October 2020 but struggled for form and consistency under the Australian, who now coaches Japan.

Jones said Lawrence had not been hungry or disciplined enough in his 2021 book Leadership.

Lawrence had made four England appearances before Jones was dismissed at the end of the 2022 autumn internationals.

The Bath powerhouse, 25, has since become a mainstay in England's midfield under Jones' successor Steve Borthwick, whose side host the Brave Blossoms in their final Autumn Nations Series match on Sunday.

"I'll always be very grateful to Eddie for my first cap," Lawrence told BBC Sport.

"He is a coach who likes to challenge players and can get the best out of players at times.

"He was good for me. He humbled me and made me realise how hard I had to work to play for my country.

"It wasn't good enough to be club standard and there was another level to it.

"He opened my eyes to that and I think it will be a good opportunity to go against his side on Sunday."

Jones' management style was recently criticised in a book by Danny Care in which the former England scrum-half claimed players were intimidated and belittled in a "toxic environment".

The 37-year-old added that, despite his demanding style, Jones was also the best coach he had ever worked with. Jones has previously denied his leadership of England was unjustifiably harsh, claiming that players in the country are not pushed hard enough to improve.

England have lost their past five games and have not won since June when they cruised past Japan in Tokyo.

Manchester City are growing increasingly confident Pep Guardiola will sign a contract extension, a source has told ESPN.

Guardiola's current deal runs until the end of the season and the 53-year-old has remained tight-lipped over his plans for the future.

But after positive conversations between Guardiola and club bosses, City believe he's leaning towards signing a one-year extension -- with the option of an additional season -- and extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium into a 10th year.

Guardiola is already the most successful manager in the club's history having won 15 major trophies including six Premier League titles since arriving from Bayern Munich in 2016.

Sources with knowledge of the situation have previously told ESPN that Guardiola was expected to make up his mind about whether to sign an extension between the November international break and the start of the new year.

His last two extensions -- in 2020 and 2022 -- were both signed in November to avoid speculation surrounding his future spilling over into the second half of the campaign.

City have lost their last four games in all competitions, but still sit second in the Premier League table five points behind leaders Liverpool.

They're also set to take part in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off in the United States in June.

The increasing possibility of Guardiola extending his stay is a boost to City, who will lose director of football Txiki Begiristain at the end of the season. Begiristain, a close friend and ally of Guardiola. will be replaced by Hugo Viana, who is joining from Sporting CP.

Gerardo "Tata" Martino has left his post as head coach of Inter Miami CF, sources tell ESPN, leaving the club for personal reasons despite having a year remaining on his contract.

The former Barcelona and Mexico coach will address the media in a final news conference on Friday, Nov. 22, alongside co-owner Jorge Mas and president of football operations Raúl Sanllehi.

Martino is set to depart just weeks after Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated from the first round of the MLS playoffs after falling to No. 9 seed Atlanta United FC in the best-of-three series.

The Argentine coach joined Inter Miami in June of 2023, taking over for former manager Phil Neville. In just over a year and a half, he led Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup trophy, the 2024 Supporters' Shield and set the league record for most points recorded in a single season during the 2024 campaign.

Despite seeing success during the regular season, Inter Miami struggled in the Concacaf Champions Cup, losing to Monterrey in the quarterfinals, and exited the 2024 Leagues Cup in the round of 16.

His hiring was one in a series of major moves for the club -- along with the signings of, among others, Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.

Martino coached Atlanta United to an MLS championship in 2018, winning the league's coach of the year award that season. This year, even with Messi missing basically half the MLS season because of injuries and commitments to Argentina's national team, Martino led Inter Miami to a level of regular season success never seen in the league's history.

Inter Miami finished with 74 points, one more than New England had in its record-setting season in 2021. At 22-4-8 in league play, Inter Miami finished the season with a .765 winning percentage for another MLS record. Inter Miami also became the eighth team in MLS history to get through a regular season with only four losses, tying another record.

"I want to say to our coach, Tata: thank you very much for an incredible season," Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said to Martino in the on-field ceremony after the regular season ended and the Supporters Shield -- which was previously clinched -- was hoisted again. "Thank you to your staff ... gracias."

The next Inter Miami coach will have a hectic 2025. It's likely the team will venture out on another international preseason tour, like it did this season. There's also the 34-match MLS slate and Inter Miami will be one of the teams in the Club World Cup that starts in June as well.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders, who has his team pushing for a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance, says he doesn't intend on leaving despite talk about him being a possible candidate for other jobs, including in the NFL.

Sanders has engineered an impressive turnaround at Colorado (8-2), which already has doubled its wins total from 2023. The Pro Football Hall of Famer, who began his college coaching career at Jackson State, has been mentioned as a potential candidate for current or expected NFL coach openings, including the Dallas Cowboys, where he played from 1995 to 1999 and won two Super Bowls.

Former Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin and others have mentioned Sanders for the Dallas job, if the team moves on from Mike McCarthy.

"I'm happy where I am, man," Sanders said Tuesday. "I've got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? ... That means I'm resting. I'm good, I'm happy, I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do."

Sanders received a five-year, $29.5 million contract when he was hired at Colorado in late 2022, following a 1-11 season for the team. The 17th-ranked Buffaloes, who visit Kansas on Saturday, are two wins away from a spot in the Big 12 title game in their first season back in the conference. They are led by Heisman Trophy candidates Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders. Both are set to depart for the NFL after the season, along with other key contributors.

But Colorado has had success adding transfers, and the Buffaloes are among the top candidates for quarterback Julian Lewis, ESPN's No. 2 recruiting prospect in the 2025 class who decommitted from USC on Sunday.

Sanders on Tuesday also recognized several freshmen who are contributing to Colorado's success this season.

"It says a lot about what we plan on being and the stability that we're going to be here for a while," Sanders said. "We ain't going nowhere. We're about to get comfortable."

The Boston Bruins have fired coach Jim Montgomery after stumbling to a losing record in their first 20 games, the team announced on Tuesday.

Associate coach Joe Sacco was elevated to interim head coach. The Bruins are off to an 8-9-3 start (.475 points percentage) and are currently outside of a playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

General manager Don Sweeney called it "a difficult decision" to fire Montgomery.

"Jim Montgomery is a very good NHL coach and an even better person. He has made a positive impact throughout the Bruins organization, and I am both grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to work with him and learn from him," said Sweeney in a statement.

Sacco was previously coach of the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-13 and has been a part of the Boston coaching staff since 2014. The 55-year-old had a 13-year NHL playing career with five different teams from 1990-2003.

"Our team's inconsistency and performance in the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season has been concerning and below how the Bruins want to reward our fans. I believe Joe Sacco has the coaching experience to bring the players and the team back to focusing on the consistent effort the NHL requires to have success," Sweeney said. "We will continue to work to make the necessary adjustments to meet the standard and performance our supportive fans expect."

Montgomery, 55, had a 120-41-23 record (.715 points percentage) in three seasons with the Bruins, making the playoffs twice. Both trips to the postseason ended at the hands of the Florida Panthers. Boston was stunned in a seven-game first-round upset in 2023 after having the most successful regular season in NHL history (135 points); and losing to Florida in the second round earlier this year after Boston had eliminated the Maple Leafs in seven games.

Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2022-23. He previously coached the Dallas Stars for two seasons (2018-20) amassing a record of 60-43-10.

As Montgomery chronicled in his 2023 NHL Awards speech, his success in Boston came after he turned his personal life around. "Three and a half years ago, the Dallas Stars terminated my contract because of my struggles with alcohol," Montgomery said. "And I had to change my actions and behaviors."

Despite Sweeney saying the sides were talking about an extension during training camp, Montgomery didn't have a contract beyond the 2024-25 season.

The Bruins have been one of the NHL's most notable disappointments this season. They're 31st in team offense (2.40 goals per game) and 28th in defense (3.45 goals against per game).

Previously dependable aspects of the team have malfunctioned, in particular their goaltending. The team traded former Vezina winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators for goalie Joonas Korpisalo. The Ullmark deal broke up the best goalie tandem in the NHL with 26-year-old Jeremy Swayman, who missed training camp during a bitter contract negotiation before signing an eight-year contract that will pay him $66 million.

Swayman has a 5-7-2 record with an .884 save percentage and a 3.47-against average. After the Bruins lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-1, on Monday, Montgomery said missing training camp wasn't advantageous.

"I don't think missing training camp helps anyone," Montgomery said. "That's why you have training camps."

Montgomery has been seen having animated discussions with captain Brad Marchand on the Boston bench multiple times this season. He also benched leading goal scorer David Pastrnak in a game earlier this month.

Montgomery's firing is the first coaching change of the 2024-25 season. Sacco is the fourth head coach under Sweeney since taking over as general manager in 2015.

"I'm supportive of Don's decision to address our current play and performance," team president Cam Neely said in a statement. "Joe Sacco has a wealth of experience and knowledge of our roster and can help lead our team in the right direction. He has a strong understanding of our standards and expectations, and I trust he will do all he can to accomplish our organization's goals this season."

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are designating former closer Adbert Alzolay for assignment, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

Alzolay, 29, underwent Tommy John surgery in August and won't be available to pitch until late in 2025. The veteran righty had 27 starts and saved 27 games for Chicago over six years with the team. He spent much of the past two seasons as their closer but faltered in 2024, losing his job and then getting injured.

Overall, Alzolay was 12-25 with a 4.04 ERA for the Cubs. His best year came in 2023, when he saved 22 games while compiling a 2.67 ERA over 64 innings. As recently as 2021, Alzolay was starting for Chicago, but he ended up being better suited to the bullpen.

The move opens a 40-man roster spot for the Cubs, who will be responsible for the cost of Alzolay's rehab unless he signs with another team.