Tennis stars bid farewell to Nicolas Massu

Santiago, Nov 21 (IANS) Past and present tennis stars took part in a farewell game for Chilean player Nicolas Massu here.

World No.1 Rafael Nadal and No.2 Novak Djokovic along with retired Argentine David Nalbandian faced off Wednesday night in Massu’s honour, reports Xinhua.

“I can’t believe it. On my farewell night Nadal and Djokovic are here to help me say goodbye and someone who was World No.3 like Nalbandian. I don’t know to react,” Massu said prior to the event.

“It will be my last match and thousands of memories will pass through my head — the trips, the matches, the Davis Cup, everything that tennis gave me, thanks to god,” the double Olympic medal winner said.

At the inaugural game at Santiago’s Arena Stadium, Massu played Nalbandian while Nadal took on Djokovic in the star match, just two weeks after Djokovic beat Nadal in the ATP World Tour final in London.

Massu, 33, announced in August that he would retire after 16 years as a professional tennis player, during which time he won two gold medals at the 2004 Olympics at Athens, secured 32 Davis Cup wins and ranked a highest of ninth worldwide.

Speaking of Massu’s double medal win at the Olympics, Nadal said: “Winning in singles and doubles is very complicated. That can, may be, happen in a tournament but I don’t think it can happen at the upcoming Olympics in Rio. It’s unlikely to happen, it was a historic event and very successful for Chile.”

Massu, along with the former World No.1 Marcelo Rios, currently serve as captains of Chile’s Davis Cup team.