Mats Wilander lauds Rafael Nadal on retirement: "He has given everything, he has surpassed himself more than anyone else"

Former world No. 1, Mats Wilander, had some touching words for Rafael Nadal, following the announcement of his retirement from professional tennis in the upcoming Davis Cup Finals. The Swede first thought it was a nightmare news, but finally acknowledged that ending his career in Davis Cup is a choice that fits perfectly with the Mallorcan.

After the champion of 22 Grand Slam tournaments, Rafael Nadal, announced his decision to quit professional tennis at the end of the Davis Cup, the networks were flooded with messages of congratulations and support for the former world No. 1. One of those who joined the tributes was Mats Wilander, who declared himself a great fan of the Spaniard's game.

"Waking up like this is obviously a nightmare for all of us who love tennis. But we've been waiting for it to happen. It was just a question of when it was going to happen," Wilander said.

"I guess the Davis Cup is so close to Rafa's heart, so close to the heart of most of us. There's a team spirit there, and you can celebrate with your team, win or lose."

"I understand Rafa's decision to finish there. But it's a sad day for tennis in general. He brought so much passion to the sport."

Wilander also argued that Nadal exceeded his expectations due to his unwavering competitive spirit, which led him to overcome a number of injuries during his career:

"Rafa, you could talk about exceeding expectations. For me, he exceeded his expectations with all the injuries he had," said the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

"He's incredibly talented, of course, in terms of feel and understanding of the game. But in terms of technique, maybe someone like Roger Federer is more talented and, therefore, maybe he should have had better results. That's what people think. We overlook the passion and competitive spirit that Rafa brought every day. Even that day against Novak [Djokovic] at the [Paris] Olympics, he gave it his all."

"He has given it his all. He has surpassed his limits. For me, that puts him in a separate category, because he has surpassed himself more than anyone else. He's a great competitor," concluded the historic former Swedish tennis player.