Rafael Nadal roared and the crowd Mutua Madrid Open 2024 He stood up to cheer the tennis player who has won the most titles on that track. It was only a second round match, but the certainty of such a close goodbye means that each one is celebrated as if it were the last. And even more so when, after two years marked by injuries, he leaves small details that even for a moment remind us of the usual champion.
Nadal confirmed his good feelings after beating the Australian Alex de Minaur (7-6(6), 6-3), a rival who had defeated him the previous week at the Conde de Godó. It is his first victory against a Top 20 in the ranking since November 2022. The Spanish tennis player is cautious when talking about his condition but recognizes that “the glass of confidence is filling.”
“Sport has one fantastic thing, and that is that it excites people. As a spectator, I also get excited when I see Tiger Woods in Augusta and it starts with a birdie, but the reality is that it is a long time without competing,” Nadal explained at a press conference.
“Mine is a bit the same. You get excited, but the reality is that it’s just a game, and in two days we start again. My glass of confidence is filling up, but I think I am still far from being able to aspire to the things that people might think out of emotion.”
However, Nadal recognized his progress and reiterated his determination to continue fighting in this final of his career.
“I think it is an important step forward, that with small steps big things are built. Unfortunately, the reality today is different, but that does not mean that I have no hope for the future, because if I didn’t I wouldn’t be here. If I am here it is for two reasons: because I always maintain the hope that things will be solved and that at some point they will get better, and because I continue to be excited about playing tennis.”
