A defeat, but one of the most beautiful in his career. Rafael Nadal greets Madrid with a smile, moved by the applause of an extraordinary audience that wanted to give him a huge ovation, uninterrupted applause to celebrate the champion of the Spanish capital for the last time. The legendary Spanish champion was beaten in two sets by the Czech Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16 of the Mutua Madrid Open, who played a great match. The rehabilitation path of the Spanish legend is not easy, but Nadal has done and is doing everything to end his career in the best possible way. Rafa spoke – after the match – in Press Conference: “This is all very emotional for me. The people of Madrid have never let me down and I will always remember what they have taught me over the years. Three weeks ago I didn’t even know if I could still play and now I’m having fun here. I was able to say goodbye and I showed a pretty worthy level. All of this means a lot to me, especially on an emotional level. Madrid and Spain have always given me support and energy and helped me a lot.” Nadal then continued: “I take with me from here a beautiful energy and an unforgettable memory. I will never have the opportunity to thank enough the people who have given me this feeling. I don’t know if it will be the last time I play in Spain or if there will be other opportunities, but that will probably be the case. Of course there’s the Davis Cup later on, but I don’t think that’s in my plans, but never say never. This was probably the last time I played in my country and I certainly have great memories of it”.
Nadal spoke about the future, rejecting the Davis Cup hypothesis and talking about his ambitions for Roland Garros, the tournament that made him great in the sport. Rafael continued: “I don’t know what can happen, but now I can say that I played four matches here in Madrid. Today I was a bit more tired, but nothing serious. I managed to play for several hours, but it’s nothing serious. I’m definitely happier than I was a while ago, but what can happen. In sport, things can change quickly and I do everything with extreme caution. Paris? After Rome I’ll speak out, I’ll have a clearer idea of what’s happening, but that’s all I can say today. I hope I can play in Rome, I’m going there with the hope of developing further”.
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