Feliciano Lopez reacts to Rafael Nadal attending his farewell tournament at Mallorca Championships
Former World No. 12 Feliciano Lopez recently reacted to his compatriot Rafael Nadal attending his farewell tournament at the 2023 Mallorca Championships.
Lopez, who had been on the tour for over two decades, announced his retirement earlier this year. He delayed his farewell by at least one day when he defeated Max Purcell in the first round of the Mallorca Championships with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5.
Feliciano Lopez and fans were treated to a special delight on Tuesday when Rafael Nadal sat in the front row for his close friend's first-round victory. The 22-time Grand Slam champion watched Lopez compete in his final ATP Tour match alongside his wife, Maria Francisca Perello, Carlos Moya, Marc Lopez, Bartolome Salva-Vidal, and others.
Lopez was overwhelmed by Nadal's gesture and took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the Mallorcan. He didn't write anything but posted a heart-hand emoji.
🫶 twitter.com/tennistv/statu…
"I was lucky that Rafa Nadal and many tennis friends came" - Feliciano Lopez
Feliciano Lopez stated on the court that he was "lucky" that Rafael Nadal and many of his friends came to support him during the match, saying:
"I was lucky that Rafa [Nadal], Marc [López] and many tennis friends came today. Some of them couldn't be here today, but they were there on Saturday [at Lopez's tennis party] and I felt very supported."
Lopez said that he is happy to have been able to leave a good legacy in terms of friendship over many years of his career. The Spaniard added that he feels loved and appreciated by his teammates, which is what he was always looking for.
"It's been many years of [my] career and I feel that beyond winning a tournament or a good result or [a] not-so-good [result], I have left a good legacy in terms of friends. I feel loved and appreciated by my teammates and that is what I was always looking for," Feliciano Lopez said.
Lopez delivered 11 aces during his first-round clash against Max Purcell. According to Infosys ATP Stats, his new total of 10,244 untouched serves places him fourth all-time in career aces, passing Novak Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic.
Speaking about this achievement, the Spaniard said:
"It’s a good stat, because Ivanisevic was one of my favourite players. When I was little, I always dreamed of being able to serve like him one day and now I’ve overtaken him on the list."
"I knew that I was among the top seven or eight, but I didn’t know exactly where. Surpassing Ivanisevic is a great achievement, I can’t say anything else. Thanks for letting me know," he added.