Numerous companions reported on social media about Rafael Nadal’s resignation – the first reactions at a glance.
Legend: Honors his opponent Roger Federer. Keystone / KIN CHEUNG
Roger Federer reported himself Instagram to say: «What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in this game we love so much. It was an absolute honor.”
Carlos Alcarazwho is preparing to follow in his compatriot’s great footsteps, was brief: “Rafael Nadal, thank you for everything.” It was with a large portion of melancholy that she took it ATP noted the announced retirement of the 22-time Grand Slam winner: “The tennis court will never be the same again.”
Also Novak Djokovicanother of Nadal’s long-time rivals, took to social media: “You’ve inspired millions of kids to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably the greatest achievement anyone could ask for. Your tenacity, your dedication and your fighting spirit will be taught for decades to come. Your legacy will live forever. Only you know what you had to go through to become an icon of tennis and sport in general.”
The current number 1 Jannik Sinner said: “We all saw how good he was as a player, what he taught us, the young players, how to behave on the pitch, how to deal with situations on the pitch, with difficult situations. »
Nick Kyrgios Meanwhile, he tried to stop his work colleague from resigning: “Rafa, don’t resign, I want to play against you one last time. We had our differences, but you were one hell of a fighter.”
The retirement of the best clay player in history also attracted one of the best grass players to the scene. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo praised Nadal highly: “Your commitment, your passion and your incredible talent have inspired millions of people around the world. It was an honor to share your journey and to call you a friend.”
Voices from the forest of leaves
- Brand (Spanien): «Rafa is retiring – what are we going to play now? Who will delight us with impossible comebacks, with what we’ve never seen before? Who will turn Paris into a piece of Spain? His figure was so colossal that it blocked the sun.”
- Gazzetta dello Sport (Italian): «A legend is retiring. It certainly doesn’t come like a bolt from the blue, (…) but two years after the retirement of his great friend and rival Roger Federer (…) another of the big three in tennis is leaving.”
- The Sports World (Spanien): “At Roland Garros he was crowned the greatest in clay court history and forged a legend.”
- The Guardian (England): «In addition to his groundbreaking forehand, his outstanding athleticism and intelligence, Nadal established himself as a player determined to constantly improve. He built a complete game that enabled him to topple Federer and finally win Wimbledon in 2008 after one of the great matches.”
- L’Equipe (France): “Two years after Roger Federer, another tennis giant will retire tired.”
- ESPN (USA): “Nadal is already immortalized at Roland Garros with a statue in front of Court Philippe-Chatrier, but it will be his dominance on clay that will remain synonymous even in retirement.”
