The head of the International Tennis Federation defended Rafael Nadal comparatively low-key retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup on Sunday, stating that the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s desires determined it. “Rafa is an incredible player who will leave a lasting legacy in tennis. This will encourage millions of players worldwide to pick up the game and keep playing. Rafael Nadal emphasized the importance of us understanding his wishes and honoring him the way he wanted.
“We took his lead, and we delivered on that,” noted Haggerty. “People can have whatever opinions they want of whether it was right or not, but to me, the most important thing was we delivered a ceremony that was what Rafa wanted — and being who he is, was a great evening, and it was much appreciated.” Also read: Tomas Machac tops Carlos Alcaraz in Shanghai Quarterfinals
Feliciano López, the director of the Davis Cup Finals tournament and a former player, sidestepped a question praising Rafael Nadal following Spain’s quarterfinal loss to the Netherlands on Tuesday.
“We should focus, all of us, on the fact that Rafa chose Davis Cup to be the final tournament of his career instead of keep talking about his farewell ceremony,” López stated. “Honestly, we did our best.” They showed highlight footage from Rafael Nadal’s career, along with recorded remarks from players including Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams. Also read: Wimbledon Tennis Tournament to Replace Line Judges with AI Technology Starting in 2025