Rafa Nadal: ‘Great satisfaction’ to host the Challenger event at his Academy | ATP Tour
Importer
Nadal: ‘Great satisfaction’ to host the Challenger event at the Academy
Movistar’s Rafa Nadal Open completes the sixth edition
September 02, 2024
Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar
Rafael Nadal attended the Manacor Challenger on Saturday.
By ATP staff
Before Rafael Nadal became a household name on the ATP Tour, claiming 92 tour-level titles and rising to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Spaniard used the ATP Challenger Tour as a springboard, capturing two trophies at that level as a teenager 2003.
Now 38 years old, the lefty has welcomed the ATP Challenger Tour to his hometown, Movistar’s Rafa Nadal Academy, since 2018. Held every first week of the US Open, Movistar’s Rafa Nadal Open featured a number of well-known players in its short time.
“I’m really happy,” Nadal said in Spanish. “Over the years, we have had amazing tennis players like Andy Murray [in 2019] and Marin Cilic [in 2024]and other major players. As organizers, having the ability to organize the Challenger here at the academy is an important step forward and it is a great pleasure for the players to leave happy and excited.”
Credit: Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar
No one left this year’s show happier than Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic, the 23-year-old who was named champion on Sunday. Earlier in the tournament, Ajdukovic defeated former World No. 3 Marin Cilic, who was competing in his first match since February. Last year Hamad Medjedovic won the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF three months later.
Enjoying beautiful views over the island of Mallorca, the world-class venue hosts over 8,000 fans throughout the week.
“I think that since the first year, people have responded very well and seeing the stadium is very well attended shows that the event is a success on a social level, I am also thankful for everything that has been organized for this tournament,” said Nadal. .
“I think that all of us who are there and who are part of the academy are happy because it is the competition where we get the best players and the truth is that we are trying to live in the right way. And visually, the players leave happy, and this is very important to us and gives us strength and motivation to continue growing. “
Movistar’s Rafa Nadal Open Champions
Source link
