Rafael Nadal received a solid gold tennis racket with gold strings during the final singles match of his extraordinary career.
Fittingly, he played against his biggest rival Novak Djokovic at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyad, and the legendary duo spent their last few moments on the court together.
The great rivals have fought a record 60 times in their careers, with Djokovic leading 31-29, but there will be no more after Nadal announced he will retire after the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month.
Time will tell whether he will play there in singles mode, so a 6-2, 7-6 (5) defeat could have been the last joy for the 38-year-old.
There were a few Nadal-esque moments, including some crowd-pleasing forehands, and the Spaniard had a big smile on his face at the end.
Speaking to Djokovic on the court, he said: “It was an incredible competition. Personally, I must say that for almost 15 years you have helped me push my limits. So thank you for that, because without it I probably wouldn’t be the player I am today.
“It was a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years, competing and having the opportunity to play in the best places in the world.”
“I have the utmost respect for you: an incredible athlete, an incredible person,” Djokovic said.
“The competition was amazing and very intense, so I hope we will have the opportunity to maybe sit on a beach somewhere, have a drink and reflect on life and talk about something else.
“I will end with one big thank you not only to me but to the entire tennis world for what you did. You left an amazing legacy and we truly appreciate it.
“Don’t go away, tennis player, stay a little longer, stay with us.”
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The Saudi hosts of the Six Kings Slam presented Nadal with an unusual gift to take with him from Riyadh, in the form of a solid gold racket with gold strings.
Speculation has circulated on social media about the value of the golden rocket, with some suggesting it could be a gift worth $10 million.
This would not come as a surprise from the Saudi hosts, who will maintain an ongoing relationship with Nadal once his professional tennis career ends and he becomes ambassador for the kingdom.
When asked on the court what he would miss about tennis, Nadal gave an answer that summed up what the sport meant to him.
“I will miss almost everything,” said the Spaniard.
“It was a dream come true to be able to play for almost 20 years. The opportunity to play in the best places in the world. It’s something I watched on TV as a kid.
“I finally fulfilled my dream of becoming a professional tennis player and becoming successful.
“I can’t thank you enough for the support and love I have received around the world. I had incredible energy during every tournament I played. Huge support.
“From my team and family, but also from the entire tennis world. He was such a pleasure to be around. I’m lucky to be a tennis player. We have a great route and a lot of great people involved in this sport. I feel very happy. I want to thank everyone.”
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