Rafael Nadal and the tennis world were in tears as our champ retired following the final match of his extraordinary career. Although he had been saying all week that this wasn’t about him, but rather about winning to help Spain advance in the Davis Cup Finals, it seems that David Ferrer and Uncle Toni were not impressed with how the organizers prepared the farewell ceremony in Malaga on Tuesday.
The farewell to someone as important as Rafa was a bit weak. There were very important people missing from his tennis career and people who have been important, both at the level of rivals and also in the team. There was little mention of his team, who spent so many years with his tennis career and I missed those people also having their role, but things are as they are.
You have to accept them and there is little more to say. Rafa will receive certain tributes in big tournaments, as I imagine will be the case at Roland Garros and he will have the farewell he deserves.
Rafa’s greatness deserves something more. The farewell was done with the best of intentions, it was after losing and in a hurry… when you lose you’re sad. I missed Federer, Djokovic, Gasol, who is a close friend of his… he was going to be there on Friday. I shouldn’t have spoken, and look, he’s a close friend of mine, other people should have spoken.
DAVID FERRER
It was emotional, obviously, with the support of the public… But I particularly like that there are images. I would have liked to see images of Rafael’s matches at the Davis Cup in Seville, in Madrid, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon… I think it creates more emotion.
I don’t want to criticise anyone, I would have liked a slightly different event. I appreciate the good intentions, but I would have liked something else.
Nowadays you can do much more emotional events by mixing music with images. Rafael is a guy whose images convey passion. If they had put some images of this, it would have been more up to par, but I appreciate the intention.
TONI NADAL
Do you agree with Uncle Toni and Ferru? How did you feel about the ceremony? We believe that fans around the world will have more opportunities to say goodbye to Rafa and future events will satisfy those who felt something was missing in Malaga.
It’s starting to sink in for me. However, I feel that when 2025 starts and we realise that Rafa isn’t at any of the tournaments anymore, that will hit hard. Especially, when the clay season arrives.
Not getting over the Retirement scenario of Rafa…still not sinking in and watching him play again and again…Omg I am missing him so much … Feeling like my real brother 😭
The organisers should have realised that Spain may not make the Friday. No one can predict how the tennis matches will go. Rafa will attend some other farewell ceremonies next year, like Roland Garros for example
It was all geared up to to the farewell being at the weekend. I believe that King Felipe was going to attend, and possibly Roger as well. But they knew that there was no guarantee that Spain would win their QF, and it should have been planned better.
I have followed Rafa for his entire career.
I was disappointed in the farewell. I understand Rafa kept pushing it off.
I missed Feliciano Lopez.
I missed Federer
I missed Carlos Moya
Should have been Friday
Fully agree with both men. And seeing Rafa standing there alone in a distance from everyone really hurted me. His family should have come to support him at least.
Wow-Murray has just signed on to coach Djokovic through the Oz Open. Should be interesting. Unlike Rafa Andy doesn’t have a lot going on in his life so he wanted to get back into tennis. I would prefer to see Rafa not jump into to another endeavour too quickly. Hoping he will enjoy his golf as he is doing today and will take some extended holidays on the catamaran with the family. Then he can devote himself to the Academy, tennis Centres, Fundación, restaurants, hotels etc. and eventually be president of Real Madrid FC. if he desires. Wishing him a very happy and fulfilling retirement!
Andy has four children! And a hotel. But he evidently wants to carry on working within tennis.
You are absolutely right! I forgot about his hotel. Mea culpa. Plus he also has a one man stage play touring England next June. Bravo to him for trying new things.
My main point was that Rafa has more irons in the fire than any other tennis player. Shouldn’t have slighted Andy in doing so.
We love RAFA and everything should be better but his wishes was to retire in Spain may have been for personal reasons. He is involved in the community where he lives and feels the impact of what the floods have done to Spain. Therefore, something low key at the moment will suffice. However there is always RAFA.
It was a down played event I would have expected more for Rafa. i was on my way from South Africa to say goodbye but I did not make it on time and had to turn around. i think if Rafa was a South Africa He would have been transported with his whole team thru the streets of the major cities. I think Spain as a country could have done better to honour their hero. Regards Antje
Triste y frio. Se merecía mucho más. Algunos que se decían “amigos ” no estaban presentes, vergonzoso!
Yes I also agree that it was underwhelming to say the least. At the points about his support team not being acknowledged was spot on – they were with him all these years and Rafa would be the first one to talk about how important they were to his success. And Toni is so right about not showing any of the images, the magnificent shots, the wins – that is what people wanted to see. And what about his family – why weren’t they invited on court to be there with him.
I do hope that Rafa will agree to go to Roland Garros next Spring to get his rightful due as I’m sure they will give him a proper send off. On a separate note, if people have not seen it, go to X or google and check out Nike’s tribute to Rafa beside the Eiffel Tower in Paris – it was dazzling!!
It should have been a much grander affair.
It just left me feeling terribly sad .It looked thrown together at the last minute .I read that everyone was coming for Friday but surely they must have known Spain might not get through to the semifinals ..I hope someone else makes a better job of it .I think the least they could have done was have his family and team with him on court
I agree with both man. I was also disappointed in his farewell.Rafa deserved a bigger goodbye after such an important career and certain friends and fellow athletes were missing, such as Federer. I really hope he will get a better farewell!
I have to agree. I was a bit surprised by how short the video was (and Rafa and Serena were never close – soo many other players could have said something!) and that was it. And Rafa spoke (in Spanish of course because he was in Spain. I would like a translation because my Spanish is not that good. I have no idea what he said!) and they gave him a cheesy 8×10 photo. The guy is the GOAT and you gibe him a picture in a frame from the local dime store?! No. Just no.
I also was very hopeful Roger would surprise him and be there. Maybe he would’ve been if Spain made the final. But still.
It fell flat for sure. I do hope he is given an incredible goodbye at RG. They really should rename a court after him. No one remembers Philipe C. anyway. 😂
I’m still in mourning. Rafa IS tennis. No one will ever compare on or off the court. He deserved so much more. But perhaps he requested “nothing elaborate.” He’s so humble that’s possible. But I think he deserved a video with so much more of his playing and off court heroics, too. And in English (subtitles at least) so most of the world could understand.
They should have asked us on this site how to send off the Greatest of All Time!!
Vamos, Rafa!
🎾♥️🎾♥️
Yes, I agree with their assessment.
I certainly agree. Rafa deserved so much more at his farewell. It was below any expectations. Finally, I think Ferrer made the wrong decision to let Rafa play a single match. Where was Roger, his partner in crime? This was not a goodbye for our superstar, our idol for more than 20 years. I am really disappointed 😥
I respectfully disagree. Rafa was primarily a singles player and he deserved to play his final match in singles. It was what the crowd wanted and Ferrer obliged them. There is Davis Cup every year but there is only one Rafa.
Carlos Moya stated in el español that the ceremony was tacky. Have to agree with him as it was terrible to have Rafa on court alone. His loved ones should have come out to be with him. Paris will undoubtedly do it right next June but for Spain, his home country, to botch it when they had a long time to prepare was an epic fail!
It broke my heart that he was standing there all alone. The least they could have done is bringing his family and team on court. Rafa deserved so much more
Me too, I agree that the next Roland Garros matches he’ll be honoured
Yes I do agree, I thought it was poor but then they didn’t know when his last match was going to be.
I expect a huge farewell at Roland Garros- that is where his penultimate achievements occurred. Plus all the clay events… I hope he does a final lap around Europe tour! Will miss him. From Australia 🇦🇺
Yes I agree it wasn’t good enough for the years our CHAMPION gave us all! I hope we will see a much better one at RG! Still I cried a lot more than I thought I would as I knew his retirement was coming. It was a gut wrenching moment for me personally as I have been a die hard fan of Rafa’s throughout his career! It feel like Iv lost a best friend or worse!🥲