Rafael Nadal He said goodbye on Tuesday night to one of the tournaments that had the biggest impact on him in his sports career, the one in Madrid. The Balearic player has been lost in the round of 16 to a great Jiri Lehecka, 7-5 and 6-4and with this he ended his presence in the tournament in Madrid.
It is, most likely, in Nadal’s last match in Spain as a professional. For this reason, the recognition from the organization of the Mutua Madrid Open is enormous, in line with the legend of its quintuple champion in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
After the match, Rafa thanked the public for their love on the court. “A few weeks ago I didn’t know if I would be able to compete again. I’ve had two unforgettable weeks in Spain”, is counted. “It’s been an incredible journey since I was very little. The first time I came to Madrid competitively, in 2005, I achieved one of the biggest victories of my career“, made his memorable comeback from two sets down that year, on an indoor hard court, in the final against Ivan Ljubicic.
Then they deployed five large commemorative canvases, all of them with pictures of Nadal. In each of them, each of the five years in which Rafa was able to be crowned champion. In addition, a ‘Salamat’ in 2005, joined the other four with an R, an A, an F and an A so that a huge “Salamat Rafa” hangs from the ceiling of Manolo Santana.
Nadal’s commemorative video is gone, with his best images in Madrid accompanied by the chords of the soundtrack of ‘Gladiator’. In his wife Mery Perelló, his sister Maribel and his mother Ana María with living tears In the stands, Rafa quietly endured the track, trying to seize the moment.
“It was a joke. Next year I will come back,” a smiling Nadal burst out laughing. After a while he became serious. “It’s a gift to be able to play here all these years. The emotions I get from this court and from playing in Madrid and Spain are the best,” he said.
Rafa is very grateful for his career in the capital. “I’m lucky to be able to turn a hobby into a job and, moreover, to do it in a unique way. I can only be grateful for what I’ve experienced and I can’t ask for anything more. I hope to be a positive example for new generations ,” he said. “All I can say is ‘thank you’. It’s a difficult day when it comes. But life sends signs that this day has to come.. This is one of the places I was most excited about. Thank you very much to everyone,” he said before personally thanking Feliciano López and Ion Tiriac.
He did this with one last wish and one last joke. “This tournament is very good and I hope that all generations will enjoy it in the future. I will not thank my team because I will do it the day I retire.“, the Spaniard laughed at his box.
certainly Feliciano and Gerard Tsobanian, CEO of the tournament, entered the court to present Nadal with a commemorative trophy for his career in the Madrid tournament. It was in the middle of the penultimate ovation for the Balearic player. The latter came moments later, when Rafa left the court in the middle of the hallway of members of the tournament organization. Nadal’s legend is now eternal in the capital’s tournament.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
