With “thanks Rafa”, Nadal is fired from the Madrid Masters 1000

Madrid. The Madrid Masters 1000 closed a major chapter in its history in the early hours of this Wednesday with the farewell of tennis player Rafael Nadal, five-time winner of the tournament, who left with a small tribute and the great affection of the public.

“It has been an extremely exciting night for me,” Nadal acknowledged, after his defeat in the round of 16 against the Czech Jiri Lehecka (7-5, 6-4), which marked the end of a journey in Madrid that began in 2003. .

“I didn’t want to cry a lot, although I held back for a moment, because I have finished my path here in Madrid, but I have not yet finished my path with a racket in my hand,” said the former world number one in wheel. of press.

“The circle here is closed, without a doubt,” added Nadal, who has already become a legend of this Madrid Masters 1000 as the player who has won it the most times (2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017).

Nadal won his first trophy in this tournament just two years after his debut in it when he beat Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the 2005 final.

He would later beat Roger Federer (2010), Stan Wawrinka (2013), Kei Nishikori (2014) and Dominic Thiem (2017).

Public support

His first final in 2005 also marked the beginning of the Madrid public’s great love affair with the Mallorcan tennis player.

“It looked like the Davis (Cup) crowd,” his rival said after the match, due to the enthusiasm of the Madrid residents to a young Nadal, 19, who also admitted that “the public’s support was fundamental.” “It would have been impossible to beat Ljubicic anywhere else,” he added.

“Come on Rafa!” It became the rallying cry first in the Madrid Arena of the Casa de Campo when the tournament was played on a hard surface and then in the Caja Mágica, where it was installed in 2009, changing to clay.

“This is not going to be the same without him,” he told Afp this Wednesday Rodrigo Giral, a 45-year-old engineer, who could not be at his farewell on Tuesday, but saw him last Thursday at his victory over the American Darwin Blanch.

“Everyone thought it wouldn’t last and if it’s neglected it gives us a surprise,” he added with a smile, before heading to watch the quarterfinal match between Kazakhs Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina.

Nadal did not arrive in his best form at this tournament, after almost not competing since January 2023 due to injury, but he leaves after three victories that for him represent satisfaction with his sights set on Roland Garros.

“I have taken steps forward, I have no doubts, and now it’s time to see if I can consolidate those advances,” Nadal said.

“I arrived here with doubts in every way and I leave here with fewer doubts. It has been an incredibly positive week, really,” added the winner of 22 Grand Slams, 14 of them on the Paris clay.

“An unforgettable trip”

The defeated man almost seemed like the winner on Tuesday when the match ended and the entire audience stood up to give him a standing ovation, while a tribute was announced.

Five canvases were displayed from the ceiling with photos of him with the five titles and a “thank you Rafa”, while Nadal excitedly attended the event from the court and in the box his wife and sister burst into tears.

To the rhythm of the soundtrack of Gladiatorimages of their victories paraded as farewell on the screens of the Manolo Santana track at the Caja Mágica.

“It has been a gift for 21 years. This is more important than any Grand Slam I have won and it will always stay with me,” Nadal said, on the verge of tears, on the court.

His time in this Masters 1000 remains for history, waiting to see if the young Carlos Alcaraz can take over from him on the court and in the history of the Caja Mágica.