End of an era: Nadal falls to Djokovic for third place in Six Kings Slam and plays his final singles match

Despite being an exhibition tournament making its debut at tennis level, the racket world was filled with nostalgia and melancholy as the meeting between two of the most successful tennis players in the world the history of this sport and the 21st century.

A golden era has just closed in the history of tennis. Roger Federer of Switzerland began to end this era when he retired in 2022 and, this Saturday in the Saudi city of Riyadh, Rafael Nadal, 38, played his last match in the singles, a format in which he won 22 Grand Slams, Olympic gold. and, between 2005 and 2022, he remained in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings, being number one in the world five times.

The match between Nadal and Djokovic was played at the Kingdom Arena and lasted an hour and a half. The Serbian defeated the Spaniard 6-2, 7-6, taking third place in this exhibition tournament that will award 6 million dollars to the winner, double what the Grand Slam champion receives.

After the match, Novak Djokovic had a few words for the Majorcan who, in doubles, will say goodbye next November in the Davis Cup when the knock-out stage of the tournament begins against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals : “You are an amazing athlete and person, with an amazing career. I hope to see you even if it is on the beach one day. Congratulations to your entire team and family, for the sacrifice of being a professional tennis player. It has been a great pleasure to share the path with you. We have played many games for many years. Thank you not only for me but for the whole world and for what you have given to tennis. “Don’t give up tennis, man.”.

Nadal thanked the Serbian for his words and said: “Thank you for everything, for what you said and for the wonderful conflict that we have had, because you have helped me to overcome my limits all these years. I wish you and your team all the best for the future. I’m going to lose everything. It has been more than 20 years of a career in which my dream has come true and I have received great support from the tennis world. “I’ve been very lucky for everything.”