The captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team regretted that the tribute paid to Manacorí for his last match as a professional was far from what was expected.
THE Davis Cup 2024 It was going to be different. During the event organized in Malaga, he would take second place after a decision which marks the destiny of tennis: the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal . November 20 will be the day Manacorí played his last match as a professional, in the defeat at the Martín Carpena against the Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp.
However, despite the symbolic and sporting importance of the match, the event was harshly criticized. In Spain, we rightly consider that the tribute was insufficient, that it did not live up to one of the greatest legends of the discipline and of sport in general.
In this sense, David Ferrer former tennis player and captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team, questioned Nadal’s farewell. “I’m sad for everything, for what happened, for losing the tie . This was not the scenario we wanted. We were favorites but we didn’t show it,” he emphasized in an interview with Cadena COPE.
“The farewell to someone as important as Rafa was weak. Very important people were missing from his tennis career. I missed the people on his team who had this role a little. Rafa will have a lot of time during which he will have some tributes in big tournaments, like Roland Garros. But it is true that at the professional level he was ending his tennis career and Rafa’s farewell deserves something more. “, he continued.
Goodbye decaffeinated
The Spanish captain also criticized the new system that governs the Davis Cup. “With the Davis Cup format, everything has changed a bit. It was a Tuesday, it’s not a holiday, it was late. Yes, I missed the goodbyes. It was done with the best of intentions, but it was all done quickly because no one expected to lose and when you lose, you’re sad. This is not a farewell in which you rejoice because a stage ends and the best athlete of our country “, he added.
Ferrer continued his momentum and regretted the absence of figures such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Pau Gasol, who were expected to be present if Spain advanced to the phase. “It was his last match, it was where his tennis career ended. We no longer go to see him on a tennis court and it’s true that I missed it a little. Rafa’s greatness deserves something more “, he indicated.
“The goodbyes were said with the best intentions, it was after losing and quickly and running. When you lose, you are sad. I missed Federer, Djokovic, Gasol, who is a close friend of his… He was supposed to be there on Friday. I shouldn’t have spoken, and look, he’s a close friend of mine, other people should have spoken. “, he said.
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
