"This is more important than any Slam and will always stay with me" - Rafael Nadal fights back tears as he bids farewell to Madrid Open after 4R loss

Rafael Nadal was visibly emotional after his final Madrid Open campaign ended in a loss to Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round.

The Spaniard produced a dream run in his likely final appearance at the Masters 1000 event, beating Darwin Blanch, Alex de Minaur and Pedro Cachin to reach the fourth round.

On the hunt for a spot in his 100th Masters 1000 quarterfinal, the Spaniard faltered against Lehecka. The Czech delivered a commanding performance, claiming a 7-5, 6-4 victory to end the former World No. 1's fairytale campaign.

Following his loss, tournament organizers paid tribute to Rafael Nadal's stellar record at the Madrid Open, unfurling banners commemorating his five titles at the tournament.

The Spaniard fought back tears as he addressed the passionate and emotional crowd, reflecting on his "incredible" journey and the "gift" of enjoying his career for over two decades.

Nadal emphasized the significance of the moment, deeming it greater than any of his Grand Slam titles. He admitted that while it was "very hard" to accept, he had sensed the inevitability of the moment as his body had been sending him signals for a long time.

"It has been an incredible journey that started when I was very little. It has been a gift for 21 years," he said in his post-match interview (via Punto de Break).

"This is more important than any Grand Slam that I have won and will always stay with me. This is one of those days that when it arrives it is very hard, but life and my body have been sending me signals for a long time," he added.

Despite the overwhelming emotions and sense of sadness, the 37-year-old chose to focus on the positives, expressing gratitude for the privilege of turning his passion into his life's work:

"The dream was to finish here on the track. I have been lucky in my life to be able to turn my passion In my work, I am privileged. I am fortunate in life for everything I have experienced, I cannot ask for more. I hope to have been an example for new generations," he said.

In an attempt to lighten the mood and dispel the somber atmosphere, Nadal ended on a humorous note, quipping that it had all been a joke and that he would be back next year.

"This is a joke, next year I'm coming back," he said.

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Rafael Nadal on his 'progress' during Madrid Open campaign: "Three and a half weeks ago, I was unable to serve, I lost day after day with the kids at the academy"

Rafael Nadal

Despite his loss to Jiri Lehecka, Rafael Nadal has plenty of positives to take from his Madrid Open campaign. Following his win over Pedro Cachin in the third round, the Spaniard spoke optimistically about his "progress."

Acknowledging his recent struggles, the 22-time Grand Slam champion admitted that just four weeks prior, he had difficulty serving and was even losing to the students at his academy.

"Three and a half weeks ago in Manacor I was unable to serve. I lost day after day with the kids at the academy. That's the truth. There is progress. I have to recover the automatisms, the speed," he said in his post-match press conference.

"That's what the victories and that's where we are. Let's see if I'm able to play two days in a row with guarantees of competing. I hope so but it's an unknown," he added.

With the 2024 French Open on the horizon, Nadal will hope to maintain his momentum and continue making progress to make a bid for a 15th title at the claycourt Major.