David Ferrer: «Rafa has changed tennis, the Spanish sport»

There are also lessons, since Alcaraz takes over from Manacor: «The first learning I receive is the passion with which one must live. I have lived it these days and it is incredible. “I have been lucky to have shared tournaments and moments with him, less than what I liked, but with unforgettable moments that I will never forget.”

And he continued with the difficulty of following a path as full of success as the one left by the Balearic Islands: «For the young people who come from behind, it has been fortunate to be able to live the stage of Rafa, Federer, that fight with Djokovic, three players who are not from this planet. But it has also left us with that illusion of what is going to happen. If those of us who are there do not reach that level it will be like a frustration or disappointment for the world of tennis. I’ll try not to take it like that. I will simply try to give everything on a day-to-day basis. What Rafa said about him giving everything he could. And that’s what I will try to do: be the best player and person I can. If in the end I achieve half of what he has done, I will leave happy. This is what I will try to leave, a good legacy. But it will be difficult to follow what they have done.

Regarding what these last moments have been like, there were not enough words, too many emotions in a night in which we went from tears to hope and back to facing goodbye. «A farewell is always sad, someone special is leaving in the world of tneis. Beyond friendship, he is an athlete who has left his mark on society worldwide. It’s all been a little strange. Because you’re focused on Davis, with your adrenaline pumping, and when you lose everything goes down a bit. The important thing is that Rafa leaves happy, proud, calm and privileged. Such a great person with that humility with everyone is to be admired,” said Ferrer. «It has not been an easy night. Many moments come to mind, I experienced the beginning of his career, when he was 11 and 12 years old. Later I was lucky enough to represent Spain with him when I was 14 and 16 years old. Those memories from when you were little stay with you forever. And when a friend and a colleague whom you have seen grow up arrives where they arrive, it is to take your hat off,” commented Granollers.

«We never wanted the time to come for Rafa to retire. Rafa has changed tennis, the Spanish sport. And all of us who are here have loved seeing it and enjoying it. Unfortunately everything has a beginning and an end. We would have liked to give him this Davis Cup. It couldn’t be. We must thank him for how he has led his career, the values ​​he has transmitted,” commented Ferrer. «My dream has always been to be number 1, to win Grand Slams and a large part of that dream is because of Rafa. Someone I have admired, who has known how to prove to be a good person beyond being a good player. When I saw him speak, it reminded me of when I saw him as a child winning and with that passion and thinking that one day I was going to be where he was. It’s sad. “He has squeezed everything he had until the end,” Alcaraz continued.

Regarding the future, only the captain has gone through the moment from being a tennis player to being a former tennis player, but each one is as he is and there is no magic formula to go through this process: «Each player is different. I think he will handle it well, he is happy, he has concerns and many things to do. He is a great ambassador. You can see him and he has said it: he likes it. He’s not going to travel as much because he’s very familiar, but he’ll get along well. It’s not like someone who retires and has all the free time, Rafa has many plans. “He will be a tennis player, but in a different way.”