When Rafael Nadal signed off early from the ATP World Tour Finals this week with a hearty: “Thank you, and merry Christmas everyone,” it was tempting to shout out after the Spaniard as he limped home to the warmth and comfort of the Spanish sunshine: “And thanks for coming.”
It was the sixth time in 14 qualifications for this event that Nadal’s body has given up on him – the previous five of those before a ball was hit – and few players are more committed to the cause than the muscular Mallorcan. So, he should not be castigated for giving what little he had and he will be missed. But his departure certainly sucked the life out of the O2 Arena, hosting this season-ending cash bonanza for the eighth year, with at least three more to come.
Related: Roger Federer beats Alexander Zverev to reach ATP World Tour Finals semis
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