Rafael Nadal‘s spirited run at his final Madrid Masters came to an end when Jiri Lehecka defeated the 37-year-old 7-5, 6-4. Following the match, a ceremony took place celebrating the Spaniard’s previous successes at the tournament, as five banners – one for each year he has won the title – were unfurled and a trophy presented. Nadal spoke after the match saying he hopes he has ‘generated emotion and illusion’ in those watching throughout his career. He is likely to retire later this year but the ‘King of Clay’ hasn’t finished yet. It remains to be seen if the 14-time Roland Garros champion will be fit to compete in Paris, but he has given himself a solid foundation to build on as the tour heads to the Italian Open in Rome next week.
