had an “emotional day” playing what was likely to be his final professional match in the Spanish capital, losing 7-5 6-4 against Czech Republic’s Jiří Lehečka at the Madrid Open.
The 22-time grand slam singles champion is looking to rediscover his form after a spate of injury problems have hampered his progress so far this year.
Before the tournament, Nadal said that he was determined to play in Madrid – where he is a record five-time champion – one final time, despite doubts about whether he was physically ready to compete at a high level.
