Nadal’s South American tour continues through Colombia. In Bogotá, at the Live Coliseum, he measured Casper again Rudd with Rafa’s victory 7-5 and 6-4. The lefty was returning to the country eleven years later and thanked the impressive support he received from fans: “These are usually difficult countries to play in and for that I thank the fans who came to visit us.”
In his appearance before the media in Bogotá, Nadal said that at the age of 36 he is still playing at the highest level and fighting to win titles thanks to the competition he has had for years with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic: “Between Novak, Roger and I we have gone further, we have been demanding and somehow it has never been enough, we always have to make a little more effort and that is what we have arrived at”.
The southpaw added that the competition has brought the three “to those levels of mental, physical and tennis demands, and that’s probably one of the main reasons” he continues to compete. Rafa, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, said that in addition to this competition, there are other factors that lead tennis players to lengthen their careers, such as “medicine, prevention, knowledge and the professionalisation of all sports”. . This has given him “a larger team, because there is more knowledge of the things that help lengthen one’s career”.
The Latin American tour thrilled the man from Manacor. “We are doing a very special, beautiful tour, we are playing with full stadiums (…) I am happy to be back in Colombia, I was alone in 2011 for a very short time, the love and passion with which people live it is very special,” he added.Ruud, who lost this year’s Roland Garros final to Nadal and the US Open final to Carlitos Alcaraz, was happy to be in Colombia and play these exhibition matches with one of his idols, he’d seen him win tournaments since he was a five year old boy.
Rafa went even further and assured that he intends to return to Colombia accompanied by Roger Federer. Both should have played an exhibition match years ago, but the social situation in the country and the curfew decreed prevented it from taking place. “I know that a few years ago a good friend like Roger couldn’t play his game here due to a complicated situation. He always told me how excited he was to play here and I can tell you I hope to get back with him one day.”Nadal assured.