Rafael Nadal retires.
The Spanish tennis icon announced his decision on Platform X earlier on Thursday.
Sinner: “Tough news”
Since then, loads of tributes and greetings have come to the Spanish icon.
One of those who spoke out is one of his biggest rivals from his tennis career: the Swiss Roger Federer, who ended his career two years ago.
– I always hoped that this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your amazing feats in the sport we love, he said, according to the Reuters news agency.
The current world number one, Jannik Sinner, also got to talk about Nadal, after he beat Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals of the ATP tournament in Shanghai.
– This was tough news for the entire tennis world, he said, and later continued:
– We’ve all seen how good he’s been as a player, all the lessons he’s given us, and how he’s taught all the young players how to behave on the court and how to handle different tough situations on the court.
Also praised by Ronaldo
Even the women’s world number four, Coco Gauff, pays tribute to Nadal.
– It has been absolutely fantastic to witness your greatness and work ethic and to have the opportunity to learn from it, she says, according to Reuters.
But it is not only tennis players who pay tribute to the Spaniard. Even one of the football world’s biggest stars of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, has, according to the Reuters news agency, paid tribute to Nadal.
– Your dedication, passion and amazing talent have inspired millions of people around the world. It has been an honor to follow your journey and to have the opportunity to call you a friend, he says.