Rafael Nadal could not hold back his emotions during his farewell from the Madrid Masters 1000 after losing to Jiri Lehecka.
Rafael Nadal was defeated at the Madrid Masters 1000 by Jiri Lehecka, in what was his final appearance at the tournament. The Spanish tennis player could not contain his emotions after the final match, expressing gratitude and bidding farewell to the audience.
“I had the opportunity to play once more on this court that has given me so much both in terms of sport and emotion. Just a few weeks ago, two days before leaving for Barcelona, I didn’t know if I could compete in an official match again, and I managed to play for two weeks. This week has been unforgettable. I can only say thank you; it has been an incredible journey that started when I was very little,” Nadal said, according to SPORT.
“The first time I came here to Madrid to compete was, I believe, in 2005, and it was one of the most thrilling victories of my career. From that moment until today, I have received nothing but love and unconditional support from the people here in Madrid. There’s no way to fully express my gratitude,” he said.
“I won’t be here in Madrid anymore. It has been a gift.”
Nadal also showed his sense of humor. “It was a joke, I’ll be back next year,” he said, laughing. “I won’t be here anymore. It has been a gift to be able to compete. I have been fortunate to turn what was a hobby into my profession and to do it in a distinguished way. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“Life and my body have been sending me signals for a while. I have been able to say goodbye on the court, which was a dream. Farewell forever,” the Spanish star concluded.
