Paul Rouget, Media365: published on Monday October 21, 2024 at 3:24 p.m.
Before hanging up for good, Rafael Nadal spoke at length to the daily AS, talking about his greatest pride.
The end is near for Rafael Nadal. After announcing that he would end his immense career at the end of the final phase of the Davis Cup (from November 19 to 24 in Malaga), the 38-year-old Spaniard participated last week in the Six Kings Slam , a (very) richly endowed exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, with $6 million promised to the winner. Praised by his rival Novak Djokovic after losing in the match for third place (6-2, 7-6), the Majorcan then spoke to the daily AS, to talk at length about his career but also his life. He was notably asked about his greatest pride.
The importance of humans
“What I am most proud of is having finished my career and leaving tennis with the satisfaction of feeling valued and loved,” said the player with 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 at Roland-Garros. And not only from the public, who can finally have a more passionate vision of what sport really is. The fact is that I have maintained very good relationships with all the people who have always been close to me, both in and out of the sport. my family as well as in my team, like the vast majority of people with whom I have been able to work and experience things, whether in tournaments or on the ATP circuit, I leave with the feeling that when I return to a tournament, They will be happy to see me. It’s the satisfaction of having done things well, not only in terms of tennis, but on a human level, which is ultimately much more important.” Nadal is also very proud of having “always given his all” in the tournaments he has played. “When I finish my career, I will have peace of mind and I will be able to say to myself: I gave everything, there was nothing left,” he concludes.
