Roger Federer to Rafa Nadal after announcing his retirement from tennis. Always supporting each other til the very end. 🥹
Daily Dose of Social Media: Djokovic, Alcaraz, Kyrgios, and more join in on Rafael Nadal's retirement tributes
Tennis NewsFriday, 11 October 2024 at 08:21
Rafael Nadal's retirement dominated the day in a new Daily Dose of Social Media, after the 22-time Grand Slam champion announced he would retire at the end of the season. The Spaniard shook the tennis world, prompting widespread reactions to the retirement of one of the greatest legends in the history of the sport.
The tributes came from his historic rivals like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, as well as current Tour leaders including Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. From the women's side, Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, and Paula Badosa were among those who paid tribute to Rafa.
Federer and Djokovic lead tributes to Nadal as Big-3 era comes to an end
Federer and Djokovic lead tributes to Nadal’s career Nadal is the second member of the Big-3 to retire, following Federer in 2022. The trio dominated tennis for 20 years, amassing a total of 66 Grand Slam titles.
Nadal's legendary career is intertwined with those of Federer and Djokovic, both of whom shared their thoughts on social media. Nadal finishes with a favorable head-to-head against Federer (24-16) and an unfavorable one against Djokovic (29-31).
“What a career, Rafa! 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 honor!” Federer commented on Instagram after the news of Nadal’s retirement broke.
“Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis, and I think that’s probably the greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, and fighting spirit will be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever. Only you know what you had to endure to become an icon of tennis and sport in general,” Djokovic posted on X.
Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit…
Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player. Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable. I wish you best possible farewell in Malaga with Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person…
Sinner and Alcaraz pay tribute to Nadal
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are seen as the future leaders of the Tour, set to carry the torch from the Big-3, especially after Nadal's retirement announcement, leaving Djokovic (37) as the only remaining active member. Although Nadal didn’t face World No. 1 and No. 2 too often, he leads the head-to-head against Sinner (3-0) and Alcaraz (2-1).
Undoubtedly, the 22-time Grand Slam champion has been an important figure in the careers of both players who now dominate the circuit, particularly for his compatriot Alcaraz, who has emerged in recent years as Nadal's successor in keeping Spanish tennis at the top. In addition to their tributes on social media, a video shows the moment Carlitos and his team learned about 'Rafa's' announcement.
“From the child who watched you on television and dreamed of becoming a tennis player to the one who had the immense gift of playing alongside you at Roland Garros and representing Spain in the Olympic Games! 🥲” posted Alcaraz on social media. “Thank you very much for being an example at all levels, your legacy is unrepeatable! ❤️ I have enjoyed you very much, and I will miss you greatly after the Davis Cup, Rafa!”
“Thank you @RafaelNadal for everything you have given to the sport,” posted Sinner. “Having the chance to spend a few weeks training with you a few years ago is something I’ll never forget. Watching you work as an athlete but also getting to know you as a person off the court was even more special.”
Del niño que te veía por televisión y soñaba con llegar a ser tenista al que tuvo el inmenso regalo de jugar a tu lado en Roland Garros representando a España en unos Juegos Olímpicos! 🥲 Muchas gracias por ser ejemplo a todos los niveles, tu legado es irrepetible! ❤️ Te he…
"Thanks to him I really wanted to become a professional tennis player" A beautiful moment as @CarlosAlcaraz and team watch Rafa's retirement video together in the gym in Shanghai 💙🥹
Thank you @RafaelNadal for everything you have given to the sport. To have the chance to spend a few weeks training with you a few years ago is something I’ll never forget. To watch you work as an athlete but also get to know you as a person off the court was even more special.…
Thousands of comments on Nadal's video
The video posted by Nadal was flooded with comments from his ATP and WTA colleagues, as well as former players and rivals, all sharing well wishes and thanking the Spaniard for his incredible career and contributions to tennis.
"You are amazing! It’s been so incredible to witness your greatness and work ethic and be able to learn from it. Wishing you all the best in the next chapter," commented Coco Gauff. "Thank you for everything you have done for this sport. You will be missed in tournaments," wrote Caroline Garcia.
“Thanks to you Rafael Nadal. What an impressive career. All passion, the best example for everyone,” mentioned fellow Spaniard and former World No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza, who also recently retired.
"Thank you for all, Rafa. Amazing career and big inspiration," commented Holger Rune. "We love you Rafa, gracias por todo!" mentioned Diego Schwartzman.
Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, Daria Saville, Francisco Cerundolo, and Casper Ruud also left their comments. There were also remarks from former players who faced Nadal during the early years of his career, including Juan Martin Del Potro, Gabriela Sabatini, Andy Roddick, and Fernando Gonzalez.
Tweet not found
The embedded tweet could not be found…
Cuánto se te va a extrañar 🥹. Fue un gran privilegio ver tu increíble carrera, gracias por ser una enorme fuente de inspiración, por transmitir esa entrega, pasión y compromiso. A disfrutar el próximo camino Gracias @RafaelNadal 🙌🏼❤️
Juan Martin Del Potro:
WTA Stars pay heartfelt tributes to Nadal: Jabeur, Badosa, and more
Ons Jabeur has often mentioned that one of her favorite players and biggest inspirations in her career was Rafael Nadal. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up shared a photo she took with the Spaniard at Roland Garros: "Thank you @RafaelNadal for inspiring me and all of us ❤️🙏 You will be missed 😢❤️."
Similarly, Paula Badosa dedicated her own tribute to Nadal, sharing photos on her social media. The former World No. 2 fondly remembered her moments with Nadal during the 2023 United Cup, where both led Spain’s participation in the mixed team tournament.
On the other hand, Katie Boulter humorously reacted to Nadal's retirement: "Nope, I/we refuse this application to retire." Jasmine Paolini also joked about her admiration for Nadal: "Thank you, @RafaelNadal, for the show and all the inspiration! Thanks for all you gave to our sport. Enjoy life, you deserve it! ❤️🎾 (I had two goals during the @olympics, to win a medal and to get a selfie with you. Only managed to get the medal! 🤣🤬)."
Thank you @RafaelNadal for inspiring me and all of us ❤️🙏 You will be missed 😢❤️
Gracias Rafa ❤️
From rivalry to respect: Kyrgios' emotional farewell to Nadal
Nick Kyrgios wasn’t left out of the tributes to Nadal, and despite their previous controversies, the Australian put them behind him to send his regards and acknowledge that he will miss Nadal on the Tour. Early in his career, Kyrgios made a name for himself by defeating Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon when he was just 18 years old.
Throughout the years, Kyrgios had several controversies with the Spaniard, with one of the most memorable incidents being when he hit Nadal directly in the chest with a ball at Wimbledon 2019, later refusing to apologize when asked about it in a press conference. However, it seems all is now behind them, as the Australian shared one of the most heartfelt messages of the day.
“Damn. I’ve had nightmares that have woke me up about Rafa ☹️ I’m gonna miss them. This was someone that I used to prepare for ☹️ he was a motivation - I guess an inspiration. Fuck - it’s true- people do bring the best out of you. You were one of those people 🙏🏽 damn…..”
Damn. I’ve had nightmares that have woke me up about Rafa ☹️ I’m gonna miss them. This was someone that I used to prepare for ☹️ he was a motivation - I guess an inspiration. Fuck - it’s true- people do bring the best out of you. You were one of those people 🙏🏽 damn…..
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