Rafa will fight, but it is the Czech who will advance in two sets (7-5, 6-4): in the quarter-finals he will meet Medvedev. After the match the Spaniard took the microphone and addressed the audience: “When your body no longer gives you answers, there is not much you can do”
Rafa Nadal’s run at the Masters 1000 in Madrid comes to an end: the Spaniard, after winning the third set over Cachin, has to surrender against Jiri Lehecka, who defeated him 7-5 6-4 in two hours and 3 minutes. The Czech advances to the semi-finals, where he will face Daniil Medvedev, who has already rested for several hours after defeating Korda in the morning. A famous victory for Lehecka, against Nadal who is developing but still far from his standards (by his own admission). Manolo Santana, who was trembling to eliminate Alcaraz against Struff, has to accept the defeat of the best Spanish tennis player of all time.
HE MATCH
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The match is played in chess, with no breaks and no opportunities to pass the other’s serve, until the eighth game, which is the sliding door of Nadal’s match. The former world number 1 fails to break a break point (it will be the only one of the match) in the eighth game as Lehecka takes the lead. Everything seems to be heading for the tie-break, but Rafa has an empty pass in the eleventh game, the one where he gets everything wrong on serve (the volley in the passage is very heavy at 0-30). Break at 0 for Jiri, who leaves no chance for the 5-time winner of the Madrid championship when serving the set.
THE END
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Rafa, under the eyes of many celebrities and Cholo Simeone in the front row, cannot stop the run of the Czechs, who had closed the first set with a partial score of 10-0. Lehecka found the break at 15 in the opening set and it looked to be over, but Nadal avoided a double break in the third game, canceling a series of chances and closing out the match after a close on 15 minutes. That’s not enough, because Lehecka is amazing on his serves (he reaches peaks of 230 kilometers per hour on his serve). Jiri serves for the match at 5-4 and closes at the first opportunity, with Nadal sending a backhand down the fairway.
HE POST MATCH
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After the defeat against Lehecka, the entire center is at the feet of the legend Rafa, who takes the microphone and speaks to the public, after the last visit here in Madrid. “It was a very positive week for me, I had the opportunity to play on this pitch that gave me so much. A few days before Barcelona I didn’t know if I could compete again. It’s been an amazing journey and I’ve been coming here since 2003, it’s a journey that started when I was little and I remember with great emotion the first win in 2005. I’ve always had amazing support from the public and I can’t help but thank you. When your body doesn’t give you answers anymore there’s not much you can do.” Nadal greets the Madrid crowd who are moved and Cholo Simeone also shouts in the stands. The choreography that the along with leaving Rafa celebrating all the awards won here in Madrid. She will be here at last: but Nadal is forever.
Consciousness
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Rafa continues to talk and get emotional thinking about all the success in Madrid. “Playing in front of you for 22 years was unforgettable. It was my dream to be able to make tennis my job. I feel privileged for everything I’ve had and I hope I’ve been a good example to everyone. Rewards are important, but it’s even more important to experience the feelings with you. This is my last time in Madrid and my whole life is ahead of me. I can only thank you. It was right to end the pitch.” Nadal closes by saying “hasta”, without closing the sentence. There are too many moments to talk about. And before he leaves the field gives him a special award, another one for a legend. Even though his time as a player is coming to an end, the emotions that brought tennis in Rome and in Paris these may be the last two tournaments of his career and you have to enjoy it until the end.
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2024-04-30 22:30:00
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