2 weeks ago
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Rafael Nadal made an affectional farewell to the Madrid Open connected Tuesday aft crashing retired successful the past 16 to Jiri Lehecka successful the Spanish star’s past ever quality astatine the tournament.
The 37-year-old 22-time Grand Slam singles champion – victor of a grounds 5 Madrid Open titles – bowed retired 7-5, 6-4 to the 30th-seeded Czech Lehecka.
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It means helium has present played his past ever tennis lucifer connected location soil.
“I’m happy. It was a precise peculiar week for me, precise affirmative and precise emotional. I had the accidental to play 1 much clip present connected this court,” Nadal said successful his connected tribunal interview.
Nadal hasn’t decided erstwhile helium plans to bent up his racquet this play but the erstwhile satellite fig one’s status is accelerated approaching.
Numerous carnal issues person hampered him implicit the past 2 years and helium volition marque the telephone connected whether helium volition vie astatine Roland Garros aboriginal this month.
A peculiar ceremonial was held connected Manolo Santana Stadium aft Tuesday’s match, with banners suspended supra the stands with the words “Gracias Rafa” and signifying the years successful which helium has won the Madrid tournament.
“This was a joke, due to the fact that I’ll beryllium backmost adjacent year,” quipped Nadal, his household watching connected from the stands. “All I tin accidental is convey you to everyone that has helped maine successful my career. It hasn’t finished yet.
“It has been a acquisition what you’ve fixed maine here. The emotion that I get from this acquisition successful Madrid, from the Spanish nationalist … I was fortunate arsenic a kid to bash the occupation that I love. I consciousness ace fortunate to person lived the beingness that I’ve lived. I couldn’t inquire for thing more.”
Nadal said helium is aiming to instrumentality his spot successful the upcoming Italian Open successful Rome up of Roland Garros.
“I’m gonna effort to play successful Rome. A precise peculiar tourney successful my career. I won 10 times. I dreamt to play each these tournaments 1 much time,” helium said.
“I missed Monte Carlo. But present I privation to play Rome. And play well. Give myself a accidental to marque that happen. Today is an unforgettable day. Saying goodbye to Madrid. But my vocation keeps going.
“After Rome I volition determine astir Roland Garros.”
Lehecka, done to the 2nd Masters 1000 quarter-final of his career, said it felt “bittersweet” to bushed Nadal successful his past quality successful Madrid.
“It’s astonishing for me, to stock the tribunal with specified a legendary subordinate is simply a imagination travel true,” said Lehecka.
“All the champion to Rafa, it’s benignant of bittersweet to person specified a bully triumph successful beforehand of each these people, everyone cheering for him.”
Earlier successful the day, 2nd effect Carlos Alcaraz extended his Madrid Open winning streak to a record-equalling 14 with a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4) triumph implicit acquainted foe Jan-Lennard Struff to determination into the quarter-finals.
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner meantime overcame Karen Khachanov 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to scope his 4th Masters 1000 quarter-final successful arsenic galore events this season.
The reigning Australian Open champion volition look Felix Auger-Aliassime, who bushed Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-5, for a spot successful the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, 3rd effect Daniil Medvedev completed his afloat acceptable of Masters 1000 quarter-finals reached by defeating Alexander Bublik 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.
English (US) ·