Rafael Nadal at Madrid Masters is always special: Feliciano Lopez


Rafael Nadal at Madrid Masters is always special: Feliciano Lopez
Rafael Nadal and Feliciano Lopez

Rafael Nadal has had a well-balanced 2020. The Spaniard ended the year sitting at the World No.2 rank. Nadal also equaled Roger Federer’s record of winning 20 Grand Slam titles after he lifted the trophy at Roland Garros 2020.

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In the process, he also racked up his 1000 wins on the ATP tour. The player who handed Nadal his 1000th win was none other than his longtime Davis Cup compatriot Feliciano Lopez.

Both the men faced off in the second round of the Paris Open. Lopez described the experience of facing his friend, “I was excited because playing against Rafa for me is always special and even more so now that I am 39 years old and I value this type of game more.”

It was a shame that fans were not present to see him win his 1000th: Lopez

Rafael Nadal

Speaking to Marca, Lopez described Rafa’s 1000th win as a special occasion.

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“I was excited because playing against Rafa for me is always special and even more so now that I am 39 years old and I value this type of game more,” said Lopez.

He further added, “I keep pushing myself every day to play those games. I was able to push him to the limit and I felt competitive against the number two in the world and possibly the best in history. That means a lot to me because it gives me the hope of continuing another year playing tennis.”

Lopez also explained how the empty stands at the Paris capital impacted the game.

“And then there’s the emotional side of being in your 1,000th win. It was a shame to play in an empty stadium. Going out to play against Rafael Nadal in an empty stadium is harder than against any other player because these matches are lived with great emotion, the stands are full, the atmosphere is brutal…Under the circumstances we had, I enjoyed it the most,” Lopez said.

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The Madrid Masters 2019 was spectacular because of the ‘Big 3″: Lopez

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal

Feliciano Lopez also happens to be the tournament director of Madrid Masters.

When asked about Roger Federer’s chances at playing at Madrid Masters 2021, Lopez said, “What I want is for everyone to be there.” The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, However, Lopez hopes that the tournament will be organized on a greater scale in 2021.

In 2021, Madrid Masters will be a two-week-long event with 96 players being drawn. Lopez also quickly touted the success of the 2019 edition and hopes that the presence of big players will make the 2021 edition special as well.

“Last year there were Rafa, Federer and Djokovic and it was spectacular. Having all three of them is a dream for any tournament. Not even the ‘Grand Slam’ have had them in recent years. We having Rafa every year gives the tournament a special dimension. Let’s not forget the player we have. I don’t know about Djokovic and Federer’s plans,” said the 39-year-old.

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He goes on to say, “I do know Rafa’s a bit because for him the clay season is very important. He is giving more importance to it in recent years, perhaps because he is getting older, because he selects the tournaments better. As director of the Mutua Madrid Open, if Rafael Nadal comes I will be happy with life.”

Also read: Earning praise from Roger Federer feels ‘unrealistic’ for Russia’s Andrey Rublev