“I’m happy. Life’s treating me well at the moment. I can’t really ask for much more.”
That’s how Rafael Nadal summed up his time in Madrid this week, speaking following a fun hit at the Santiago Bernabeu, temporarily converted into a tennis practice venue for the Mutua Madrid Open.
“Being for a few days with my family and colleagues experiencing this moment, which I think is historical,” Nadal told the tournament. “I hope the tournament is a great success over the next two weeks.”
Nadal made his final appearance in Madrid in 2024, reaching the fourth round. The 39-year-old Spaniard is a record five-time champion at the ATP Masters 1000 event, having first lifted the trophy in 2005 when the tournament was played on hard courts.
Nadal, who compiled a 59-15 tournament record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, spent time with the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner and football stars Thibaut Courtois and Jude Bellingham in the Bernabeu, where the four participated in a fun hit.