The Spanish tennis legend announced last week that he will end his long and successful career after the Davis Cup in November. Before that, he will play the disputed exhibition tournament "Six Kings Slam" in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A tournament where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. The 21-year-old defeated the 38-year-old with 6–3, 6–3.
Nadal said afterwards that he tried to enjoy himself on the court.
I don't have much pressure here. I'm just trying to have fun, he says.
Nadal received a direct spot in the semifinals. Now he's waiting for a match for third place against rival Novak Djokovic, who lost in the other semifinal against world number one Jannik Sinner.
We've met many times, so it'll be fun to play against each other one more time, says Nadal.
He's unsure about his form ahead of the career's last big goal: Davis Cup.
Emotionally, I'm sure I'll be ready. But when it comes to the physical... there's still a month left to prepare, he says.
The "Six Kings Slam" in Saudi Arabia is an exhibition tournament that has received great attention for several reasons. According to NTB, all participants are guaranteed at least 15 million kronor and the winner receives over 60 million kronor – something that has attracted many stars. Several human rights organizations have directed sharp criticism against how Saudi Arabia is pumping money into the sports world, so-called sports washing.
