The lights of Martin Carpena They lost further strength until they left completely to give way again to a tennis player, Rafa Nadalwho has shone throughout his career and does so with more intensity in the early hours of this Wednesday.
“I have so many people to thank. You have supported me for 20 years of professional career. You helped me win in the good times and in the bad times you pushed me to get back up. I want to generalize to the world. I felt lucky to have felt love everywhere and, especially, here in Spain“, to start.
He remained true to his values. “I would like to congratulate the Dutch Davis Cup team and thank the Spanish team for allowing me to experience the illusion of playing this tournament again. It didn’t go as we would have liked. I gave everything I had. I want to thank you for everything. I have experienced many of the most exciting moments of my career with the tennis players who are here today. We enjoyed it and we achieved some great things together, I’m sure that will be the case. Thank you all very much.”
“The reality is you never want to reach that moment. I’m not tired of playing tennis. There simply comes a time when the body can’t take it anymore. You have to accept the situation. I turned my hobby into a career and it lasted longer than I expected. The team, the friends… I don’t want to personalize and forget,” he said before thanking a member of his family in particular for their support.
“You have all been an unforgettable part of me all these years. I have tried to support the team and my immediate family throughout my life and this has led me to have a personal relationship that goes far beyond our entire career. Without you, this would not have been possible,” he said of his team.
His tennis legacy is already underway. “To the entire sports industry, thank you very much. We are a global sport. We continue to move the masses and I encourage you to continue on the path we have been on for so long. I am retiring, but I hope to continue being a great ambassador for tennis. This is what I have tried my whole life: to strive to achieve my goals and improve myself. “I tried to do it with respect and humility.”
“I tried to be a good person, which is the most important thing in this world. I’m leaving tennis after finding many friends along the way. It’s hard to remember everyone, but I definitely think I walk away with the peace of mind of having left a legacy that isn’t just sporting. Thank you very much for everything.”
“I want to say goodbye by thanking my family, who never let me down. They supported me through difficult times and kept me grounded when things were going well. This makes the future more manageable. Any change involves a process of adaptation, but I received an education that allows me to be aware that I did everything that depended on me,” he concluded his speech.
