Rafael Nadal said goodbye to the fans. © APA/afp / THOMAS COEX
For Rafael Nadal, the final round of the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid was the final round of 16. After the match, things got emotional on Tuesday evening.
01. May 2024
From: apa
The 37-year-old Spaniard lost to the number 30 seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka 5:7, 4:6 after just over two hours of play. For Nadal it was the last appearance in Madrid in his career, after which the veteran’s local successes were remembered in various ways on the pitch. He won the title there in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
For Nadal it was a very emotional farewell to his home crowd. “It’s a very difficult day for me, but life has given me signals that it’s time to stop,” Nadal said. The star had long announced that he would end his career after this season.
Alcaraz with problems
Nadal’s compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, however, reached the quarter-finals after a thriller. The winner of the last two editions defeated the German Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday 6:3, 6:7(5), 7:6(4). After two comfortable match wins, Alcaraz had to fight very hard in his third appearance after his elbow injury. And that in a new edition of the Madrid final in 2023, which also lasted three sets.
Shouted his joy: Carlos Alcaraz © ANSA / Chema Moya
This time it was an even closer affair as Struff won the second set tiebreak 7-5. After that, the German was hopelessly behind at 3:5 and 0:40, but after defending four match points he managed the break and finally made it back into the tiebreak. There the 34-year-old turned a 0:3 into a 4:3, but that was his last point in the game.
Alcaraz couldn’t miss match point number five after almost three hours. The 20-year-old celebrated his 14th match win in a row in Madrid, while the world number three triumphed against Struff in the fourth duel for the third time in a row. “It was difficult, I struggled with my emotions. I’m really happy that I showed mentality in the end and got the win,” said Alcaraz in his first reaction on the pitch.
Rublev and Medvedev continue
Waiting for the second-seeded Spaniard is the Russian Andrey Rublev, ranked seventh, who was far less challenged and prevailed against the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6:2, 6:4.
While Daniil Medvedev (Russia) lived up to his role as favorite, Alexander Zverev (Germany) was eliminated. The Olympic champion somewhat surprisingly had to bow to the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 3:6, 4:6.
Is in the semi-finals: Iga Swiatek © APA/afp / PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU
In the women’s category, world number one Iga Swiatek defeated Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia 4:6, 6:0, 6:2 in the quarterfinals on the way to her third title win this year. Her semifinal opponent on Thursday is Madison Keys. The American, seeded at number 18, took the higher-ranked Tunisian Ons Jabeur out of the competition after a major false start with 0:6, 7:5, 6:1.
2024-04-30 22:23:53
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