Bautista: "It seems unreal that nerves don't go away even at 38 years old"

Fernando Murciego | 22 Apr 2026 | 19.29

Bautista says goodbye to Madrid: "It seems incredible that the nerves don't go away even at 38 years old." Source: Getty

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Roberto Bautista put an end to his story with the Mutua Madrid Open. This Wednesday, at the Manolo Santana, the Castellonese fell in two sets against Thiago Agustín Tirante, although he still has several upcoming stops ahead.

What stops? Where will we see him play? Does Roberto Bautista have a retirement plan in mind? The reality is that he does not. His schedule is set until the summer, and after that, we will see. With the press room at the Mutua Madrid Open crowded to bid him a deserving farewell, the former world No. 9 delved a bit deeper into his decision and explained how he feels before facing these last months as a professional.

His plans until the end of the season

"I will go on playing, on the go. Last year, after the US Open injury, I went six months without earning points, so now I have them all at once. If I want to extend the year, I have no choice but to play well in the upcoming tournaments. I know that now I will play Rome, then the Valencia Challenger, after Roland Garros... and from there, we'll see if I play Wimbledon main draw or the qualifying. After that, we'll have to see how the season progresses."

Farewell alongside Feliciano and Garbiñe

"These are moments that one does not consider while being a player. Today on the court, there were many feelings, it was not easy to play. I really wanted to play in Madrid, play at home, do well... it's unbelievable but nerves don't go away even at 38. It was beautiful, I was able to enjoy it with my family and coaches, it was a nice farewell."

His relationship with Madrid and Manolo Santana

"That was the tournament that propelled me towards the top positions, it placed me among the top 15 in the ranking. It was a turning point in my career, although here I also experienced one of the most magical moments of my career with the 2019 Davis Cup final. Many memories come to mind, this is a very important court for me."

Roberto Bautista reveals how he made the decision to retire

"It's a complicated decision, the first person I talked to about it was my wife, who has always been by my side. After the injury that kept me out for six months, in February I didn't feel good on the court, I didn't see a solution. Now after Indian Wells, I started feeling better, not finishing so limping, but this injury drained me a lot, it took a lot of energy from me. I was trying to come back and couldn't. I've been in this for many years, so after Indian Wells and Miami, I thought it was a good time to say goodbye. I still see myself at a good level, ready to finish this season playing good matches."

What if he ends the year well? Options to play in Australia?

"I have made the decision, this will be my last one, I am clear about that. Hopefully, I end the year in the top 100 and have the chance to play well from here to the end of the season. What I would like most is to bid farewell properly and enjoy on the court, I still have the level, I can play good matches, but it's true that it's getting harder. Lately, I find myself playing against opponents I double in age."

The emergence of Jódar, Landaluce, and Mérida

"Everyone has their maturation phase, each player has their evolution. In my case, it's difficult, it's rare to start at 24 and then reach world No. 9. I love tennis a lot, I always tried to improve, every morning, in every training session. Achieving everything I have achieved has been incredible, but it's clear that it's much better to start at 20-21, so you go through all those moments much earlier than I had to experience at 24-25. Spanish tennis needed a renewal, to see new faces, young people playing very well."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Bautista: “Parece mentira que los nervios no se pasen ni con 38 años”