Tributes pour in as all-time great Rafael Nadal announces retirement
The 22-time Grand Slam champion announced in an emotional video message that he will retire after this November’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga
Rafael Nadal, Madrid 2024
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
And so it must be.
As the curtain continues to close on an era of unprecedented greatness, a player who – for many, at least – shone brighter than all others has now called his time on the game he loves so dearly.
Yet, as tennis comes to terms with another retirement of seismic magnitude, there is a silver lining that shines among the sadness.
In a sport that can be more fractious than most, the worldwide tennis community has, hearteningly, shown great unity in paying tribute to an all-time great.
Needless to say, Rafael Nadal is a true sporting legend.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion etched his name into the hearts and minds of tennis followers all over the globe in a manner that few, if any, other players ever truly managed.
But now, at the grand old age of 38 and with an increasingly creaking body, Nadal has decided it will be time to hang up his racquet once this season draws to an end.
He will finish his career representing his beloved native Spain in the Davis Cup Finals next month.
The inevitability of today’s announcement does little to stem the sense of disbelief currently rippling through the tennis community. Yet, as is the essence of sport’s great strength and enduring appeal, moments like this are as much about celebration and gratitude as they are anything else.
We watch tennis – and, by extension, sport itself – to relish and rejoice in players’ talents and achievements. Yet in the day-to-day grind of the tours, and the cauldron of fierce rivalry, this most fundamental of truths is too often overlooked.
Which is why definitive moments in time – ie, a retirement announcement – give perfect cause to revisit the underlying and foremost purpose of sport.
Nadal’s heartfelt video message has triggered this very instinct in every corner of the tennis world. Mere minutes after the announcement was made, tributes, messages of thanks and well-wishes came pouring in from fellow and former players, journalists, fans and tournaments across the globe.
It only feels appropriate to start with the message from one Roger Federer, Nadal’s great rival and friend.
“What a career, Rafa,” the Swiss wrote via social media.
“I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour.”
There will be more fitting moments down the line – namely, late November at the Davis Cup Finals – for a more in-depth reflection on Nadal’s unparalleled career and the legacy he leaves.
For now, though, here is simply a small collection of some of the other more heart-warming tributes from colleagues, friends and rivals that have been paid to the great Spaniard. For now, they say it best.
May they remind us of why it is we continue to follow this wonderful sport.
