Rafael Nadal did not ‘request’ Paris farewell, claims French tennis figure
Rafael Nadal did not make a “request” to bid farewell to Paris at the upcoming Masters 1000 event in Bercy, according to tournament director Cedric Pioline.
Former world No 1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal confirmed earlier this month that he would call time on his career at the Davis Cup Finals, held on his home turf in Malaga.
The Spaniard’s retirement had been a huge source of speculation in the prior months and he has not played a professional tennis match since the Olympic Games, only appearing at the Six Kings Slam.
Nadal’s career has been defined by Paris, winning a record 14 titles at the French Open, alongside ending his Olympic career at the Paris 2024 Games earlier this summer.
After his French Open and Olympic exits, he refused to officially rule out returning to the city, but after confirming his impending retirement it has been revealed he has not requested a Paris farewell.
The final Masters 1000 event of the season takes place in the French capital, starting next week, and is held on indoor hard courts – the same surface as the upcoming Davis Cup Finals.
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However, in quotes reported by Eurosport, tournament director Pioline confirmed that Nadal had not made any request to play the tournament or say an official goodbye to the city.
He said: “It’s true that it was a real option for him to come to Paris to play matches, a form of logic given that the Davis Cup will be his final curtain, but no, he has not made a request.
“Choosing this moment, a Davis Cup in Spain with the possibility of experiencing this with all his teammates, his family, his friends, it makes sense and it suits him well, I think.”
While Nadal has found huge success at Roland Garros, the prestigious event in Bercy has not been his happiest hunting ground.
He made the final on his tournament debut in 2007 but was beaten heavily by David Nalbandian, and failed to make it past the semi-final stage in his next eight appearances.
Though the tournament was not a successful one for him many thought he could play to prepare for the Davis Cup or appear for a farewell ceremony.
Nadal reportedly turned down a presentation at Roland Garros this year, where he was beaten in round one by Alexander Zverev.
