Rafael Nadal has not made a formal request to bid farewell at the upcoming Masters 1000 event in Bercy, as confirmed by tournament director Cedric Pioline. Earlier this month, Nadal, a former world No. 1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion, announced his decision to retire after the Davis Cup Finals, set to take place in his hometown of Malaga.
The speculation surrounding Nadal’s retirement had intensified over the preceding months, especially as he has not played a competitive match since the Olympic Games, apart from his appearance at the Six Kings Slam. His illustrious career is intrinsically linked to Paris, highlighted by an unmatched 14 titles at the French Open, along with his participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this summer.
Although Nadal hinted that he might not completely close the door on returning to Paris following his early exits from both the French Open and the Olympics, it has now been clarified that he has not expressed any desire to make a final appearance in the city.
The final Masters 1000 event of the season is set to kick off next week in the French capital, taking place on indoor hard courts, the same surface that will be used for the Davis Cup Finals. However, Pioline noted that Nadal has not put in any request to compete in the tournament or to officially say goodbye to the city he holds dear.
“It’s true that it was a real option for him to come to Paris to play matches, given that the Davis Cup will be his final curtain, but no, he has not made a request,” Pioline remarked. “Choosing this moment, a Davis Cup in Spain with the possibility of experiencing this with all his teammates, his family, his friends, it makes sense and suits him well, I think.”
While Nadal has enjoyed immense success at Roland Garros, his history at the Bercy event has been less illustrious. He reached the final during his tournament debut in 2007, only to be defeated by David Nalbandian. In subsequent appearances, he struggled to get past the semi-finals in eight consecutive attempts.
Despite his mixed results in Bercy, many believed he might participate either to prepare for the Davis Cup or to take part in a farewell ceremony. Interestingly, Nadal reportedly declined an invitation for a presentation at Roland Garros this year after his first-round loss to Alexander Zverev.