Nadal: "Like a good person from a small village in Majorca".
We'll say it again and again, but this is a great moment in the history of our sport. At the end of one of the most prolific and iconic careers in tennis history, Rafael Nadal officially bowed out on Tuesday.
Inevitably deeply moved, the Majorcan gave a long and moving speech to a packed audience. Referring to his legacy, he explained that he was more concerned with the human side of things than the sporting: "I'm leaving hoping that everyone will see me as a good person. That's the legacy I've tried to leave. I leave serene in the knowledge that my legacy is also emotional, not just sporting.
The titles, the numbers, they're there. People probably know that. The way I'd like to be remembered more is as a good person from a small village in Mallorca."
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future?
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival