Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, made a surprise withdrawal from the Davis Cup event in southern Spain. The rather low-key farewell ceremony caused controversy, but International Tennis Federation (ITF) President David Haggerty defended the decision as an expression of Nadal’s own wishes.
ITF supports Nadal’s decision
“Rafa is an amazing player and leaves a tennis legacy that inspires millions of players worldwide to continue playing tennis,” said Haggerty during the final on-site press conference. He emphasized the importance of listening to Rafa’s ideas and taking them into account during the celebration. “We followed his lead and did exactly that,” he added. Haggerty expressed understanding that there may be differing opinions about the appropriateness of the ceremony, but emphasized that the most important thing was that the event was in accordance with Rafa’s wishes. “It was a great evening and much appreciated,” continued Haggerty.
Focus on Nadal’s career
Feliciano López, the former player and Davis Cup finals director, responded to questions about how Rafa would be honored after Spain’s quarter-final exit to the Netherlands on Tuesday. López called on everyone to focus on the fact that Nadal chose the Davis Cup as his last tournament instead of continuing to talk about the farewell party. “Honestly, we did our best,” he said.
A video tribute was shown during the ceremony, which included highlights from Nadal’s career as well as recorded messages from well-known players such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams. However, these contemporaries were not personally present at the event.
Nadal’s low-key farewell reflects his humble personality and puts his focus on the game and his fans at the forefront. The tennis world respects his decision and recognizes his significant contribution to the sport.
