Rafael Nadal had to pause for a few moments, visibly emotional, while addressing the crowd after his loss in the fourth round at the Madrid Open.
As chants of “Rafa, Rafa, Rafa” echoed around, the five-time champion in Madrid made a farewell speech following a 7-5, 6-4 loss on Tuesday to the 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka.
It was likely his last official match at the tournament.
“This is a difficult day when it arrives, but it’s a reality. My body and my life had been sending me signs for some time,” Nadal said. “The memories here will stay with me forever.”
After the match, tournament organizers unfurled five banners for each of Nadal’s titles in Madrid — 2005, '10, '13, '14 and '17.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz lost in the quarter finals to seventh seed Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Top-seeded Jannick Sinner defeated 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarter finals.
Bopanna out
Top-seeded Indo-Australian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Mathew Ebden bowed out after a first-round 6-7 (4-70, 5-7 loss to the unheralded duo of Sebastian Korda and Jordan Thompson.
AP/PTI
