Retirements are never easy on athletes and it’s not guaranteed that it ends on a trophy. Sometimes it can come down to tears, among loved ones in front of your second home – the court. It was with tears in his eyes that Portuguese veteran Gastão Elias announced his retirement from professional tennis at the Lisboa Belém Open, in the last match of his career.

The 35-year-old played his last match at the Challenger 100 event in Lisbon on Tuesday, taking on Italy’s Francesco Passaro, who arrived with 11 straight wins after back-to-back Challenger titles in Palermo and Maia. Passaro won in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, not allowing Elias to sign off with a win. The emotions were felt during the ceremony held at the Club Internacional de Foot-Ball, which he regards as his home club. 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to talk about Rute,” Elias said, giving a special tribute to his girlfriend and the mother of their daughter. “But in a way I also wish you had come into my life sooner. You were the person who gave me the strength to keep fighting and to keep coming back from all the injuries. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have retired earlier.”

The Portuguese even thanked those who had been with him “since day one” and began with his parents, who are the reason he started playing. He credited the Portuguese federation for giving players the chance to compete at home through the years.

He expressed his gratitude towards his coaches, including Gui Balboa, who travelled all the way from Brazil for the occasion. Elias said both coaches were unlucky to be with him during some of the toughest years of his career, with many weeks away from home and injuries that never really allowed him to settle.

Elias was 16 when he left his home country to go to the United States to pursue the sport. He said only now he understands, as he is a father himself, and appreciates the difficulty his own parents had in releasing him. It was a line that spoke to a lot of athletes who feel only when their playing days are over how much is built on the sacrifices of others. 

The 35-year-old Portuguese reached a career-high ranking of world No. 57 in October 2016, a breakthrough year in which he also played at the Rio Olympics. He made two ATP semifinals, picked up a top-10 win, and competed in the main draws of all four Grand Slams. Most of all, he was a recognizable figure in the Challenger ranks, in which he claimed 10 titles, and anyone who followed the tour’s grind would know Gastao Elias. 

Beyond the Grand Slam winners, there are hundreds of players like Elias, who spend years traveling, grinding, recovering from injuries just to compete week after week for the love of the game in front of little compensation. His speech was a reminder that those people—the parents, coaches, partners—are often the key to having a career that lasts. 

As the final applause faded in Lisbon, the loss to Passaro mattered very little. Elias retired the way many fans wish: at home with those he loved and cherished, and thankful for all the years he played.