‘An important part of my life is leaving too,’ says emotional Rafael Nadal. Credit:Getty Images ‘It’s very heavy to leave your home and move on to a new home and a new life. You have to live with the people who will always be there. I don’t have the same friends as I used to. I miss many people.’
The news comes just hours after the 34-year-old reached his first grand slam finals at the Australian Open, but it is already clear that it is far from over for the world No. 1. Nadal is now preparing to take on either Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray, both of whom have won all but one of their Grand Slam finals. Djokovic beat Nadal in the 2012 final and Murray beat him in the 2014 final. Nadal did beat Murray in the 2016 final, but he is well aware that it is not his time. “I know that from the start of my career – there were so many people who thought that I could win a Grand Slam with different players, or with me alone,” he said. “But I always say that it is not the end of the story and it is not my time yet. I am still hungry and I am still young. Every time when you get close to it you realise that the real challenge is still ahead of you.”
As the final touches the horizon, Nadal’s dream of being the greatest player in the world will be remembered. “It was a dream that I had, but now I am happy that I am happy. I will always be happy and I am good,” he said. “I am a winner, every year and every match. I don’t need to do anything else to feel happy. I am good and I will always be. So I am happy. I am happy that this great match of mine with a great player like Rafa Djokovic, and to have done it on the biggest stage of all, it was amazing. I had a lot of fun.” Advertisement
Nadal was emotional as he announced his retirement, saying it had been a “great opportunity” and that it was time for