Rafael Nadal: My legacy will be to leave a good memory as a person | Other Sports | Sports

smiling, before the applause from the Quito publicThis is how the Spanish tennis player introduced himself Rafael Nadal, the top winner of Grand Slam tournaments, ‘guest of honor’ of the Ecuadorian capital, where this Sunday will hold a exhibition game against the Norwegian Casper Ruud.

Nadal, second in the ranking ATP, and Ruud, third, They arrived this Sunday in Quito to play the Bicentennial Cupevent scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Rumiñahui Coliseum.

Official agenda of Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud in Quito includes a visit to the Carondelet Palace

In an appearance before the media, Nadal and Ruud told about their present in world tennis, in which the Spanish hopes to leave a more human image

nadal ruled out being the best in history“I don’t know if I’m the best and I don’t pretend to be either, They are things that go to the background”, said the 36-year-old Spaniard, who has been plagued by injuries this season.

In September, Nadal assured that his career is far from over, but questioned about what would be his inheritance in tennis, the winner of 22 Grand Slam indicated that “The important legacy is that all the people who have been able to live with me during these 20 years of my career have good human memories of me. In the end, the personal issue, education, respect and affection goes above the professional issue, that is what will remain in time,” he said.

On the ATP Tour, Nadal and Ruud have met twice, with an advantage for the Spaniard, the same number of times that they will take the rackets to measure themselves on a court in Quito.

What happened this morning was an appetizer, after the two tennis players made a short tour of the capital metroin which they moved from the El Ejido stop to the Plaza de San Francisco stop, where they met with a minitennis match between the stands of the station.

Nadal and Ruud arrived accompanied by tennis player Nicolás Lapentti, organizer of the event, and the capital’s mayor Santiago Guarderas, as well as a large entourage that he shared with the tennis players on the subway, a work that is scheduled to be delivered to Quito residents this December.

Following, the tennis players left the subway station and left to the cheers of hundreds of people who sought to be closely with “the guests of honor”, as stated by Guarderas, mayor of Quito, a city that is preparing to celebrate its 488 years of foundation, this December 6.

“It is a great job that has been done to have you in the city, you also decorate the holidays. Thank you for being here,” said the mayor.

Ruud, gifted student

The young Norwegian talent arrived at Nadal’s academy in 2018 and it is now who, due to his style, can remain as his heir in world tennis. Ruud (23 years old) He acknowledges that his idol has always been Nadal, whom he praises whenever he is asked about Spanish.

In Quito it was not the exception. “From Rafael you can learn many things, his management, his way of being and training, but especially the intensity that he puts into each game”, commented the Norwegian, the first from his country to reach the top of the ATP.

Ruud also highlighted the Nadal’s way of working, which he considers has allowed him to increase his level, which led him to get on the podium of the ranking ATP this 2022.

Although in direct confrontations he has a disadvantage (2-0), Ruud aspires to “surprise” this afternoon at the exhibition that will take place at the Rumiñahui Coliseum (5:30 p.m.), “thank you all for coming today, see you this afternoon,” Ruud closed, in broken Spanish. (D)