Rafael Nadal’s farewell tour is gaining momentum: at the Masters tournament in Madrid, the 37-year-old moves his relatives to tears with a speech. Now the 22-time Grand Slam winner is trying to make one last appearance for the French Open.
In the middle of the match, Rafael Nadal was beaming from ear to ear. This time he hadn’t managed a furious lasso forehand down the line, he hadn’t even won a rally. After a break, Nadal simply asked a spectator about the result of the Champions League semi-final game late on Tuesday evening. And to his great joy, he told him: Real Madrid, his beloved football club, had just equalized 2-2 at FC Bayern Munich. For Nadal, this moment visibly offered some distraction and perhaps comfort. He was smiling, as the television images showed.