The Spanish player played his last official match, after 23 years of successful professional career.
“The King’s farewells”, we can read on the social networks of the Roland Garros tournament.
Credit : screenshot | X | @rolandgarros
A page is being turned in international tennis, but also in sport in general. The Spaniard Rafael Nadal, 38, played the last match of his career this Tuesday, November 19.
The player with 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 at Roland Garrosput away his rackets for good after Spain's defeat against the Netherlands, in the Davis Cup quarter-finalsin Malaga.
Rafael Nadal lost his last match against Botic van de Zandschulp, 80e world player. A few minutes earlier, he hadn't been able to hide his emotionalongside his worthy successor Carlos Alcarazwhen the Spanish anthem sounded.
At the end of the match, the player, a true icon of sport and pride of the Spaniards, was acclaimed by the public :
“I lost my first Davis Cup match.” in 2004, “I just lost my last match. The circle is closed“, declared the tennis player whose the end of his career was marred by numerous injuries.
More “I feel so lucky“, he continued, first smiling, then his voice broke with emotion when he thanked his familywho played an essential role in his career.
Translation : “Rafa Nadal, with tears in his eyes, bids farewell to tennis. His family is in tears. We all cry for this man. The greatest fighter in history… Rafael Nadal Parera.“
Rafael Nadal, eternal rival of the Swiss Roger Federerhe retired for two years, and the Serbian Novak Djokovicreceived a moving tribute in Paris, where he won 14 titles at Roland Garros and where he carried the Olympic flame last July during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Its historic equipment supplier, Nikehas in fact projected on a giant screen, facing the Eiffel Tower, a 10 meter tall silhouette of the one nicknamed “El Matador”:
