Thirty minutes after a Davis Cup defeat, a speech of thanks and a tribute video at the Malaga Sports Palace. This is how Rafael Nadal said goodbye to tennis last November. Certainly, these were precipitated by the surprise victory of the Netherlands against Spain but did they live up to the legendary career of the Spaniard?
“I don't know if Rafa didn't want to make too much of a fuss so as not to disturb the other teams… The ceremony, if you ask me, was not well doneNovak Djokovic explained this Tuesday to the Serbian press. Maybe Rafa himself wasn't sure if he would play, if he could play again, and maybe it was too late to do something bigger.“
A timid first match for Djokovic
Video credit: Eurosport
Toni Nadal: “I would have preferred something different, more in line with his incredible career“
The Serbian especially regretted not being in the stands to celebrate one of his biggest rivals: “To be honest, I feel bad that I wasn't thereadmitted Djokovic. I don't know the exact details of the ceremony, but I know that the plan was to do it after the semi‐finals, if Spain reached the last four. Murray and I planned to be there.“But the Netherlands decided otherwise.
Nadal at his farewell
Credit: Getty Images
Djokovic is not the first to criticize the initiative. “I would have preferred something different, more in line with his incredible career“, has already criticized on the Cadena Ser Toni Nadal, Nadal's uncle (and long-time coach). On Onda Cero, Carlos Moya felt that Nadal deserved “much better than that“. Responsible for the organization, David Haggerty, president of the International Federation, quickly clarified: “We felt it was important to listen to what Rafa wanted and how he wanted to be celebrated. He got the ceremony he wanted.“
It must be said that in comparison to Roger Federer's farewell which triggered torrents of tears and emotions, Nadal's ceremony seemed very stingy in excitement and not really up to the level of the Majorcan's achievements. Rafael Nadal's farewell ceremony continues to attract criticism. On November 20, the Spanish legend left after a Davis Cup doubles match against the Netherlands.
