By Rohith Nair
(Reuters) – As Rafa Nadal prepares to ride off into the sunset after a stellar career, his fellow professionals from eras old and new agree on one thing – the Spaniard remains an inspirational role model whose legacy has shaped tennis over the last 23 years.
With 22 Grand Slam titles in the bag, including a record 14 at Roland Garros where he was virtually unbeatable, 38-year-old Nadal said he is at peace with his decision to hang up his racket after the Davis Cup next month.
Nadal has won the Davis Cup four times and he will bow out on home turf where he will team up with his protege Carlos Alcaraz, the proverbial prince and reigning French Open champion ready to inherit the crown from the ‘King of Clay’.
As a child Alcaraz had watched Nadal and was grateful for the “immense gift” of playing alongside him at the Paris Olympics earlier this year which was held at Roland Garros.
“I couldn’t believe it when I watched it… It was tough to accept it. I was in shock a little bit,” Alcaraz told reporters at the Shanghai Masters.
“It is really difficult news for everybody and even tougher for me. He has been my idol since I start playing tennis. I look up to him. Proudly, thanks to him, I really wanted to become a professional tennis player.
“Losing him, in a certain way, is going to be difficult for us, so I will try to enjoy as much as I can when he’s going to play (and) enjoy the time with him as much as I can. But it is a shame for tennis and for me.”
‘STAY HUMBLE’
World number one Jannik Sinner said Nadal’s announcement was a bitter pill to swallow and that he was “very lucky” to have got to know him on the Tour, adding that the younger generation learned from Nadal’s values and on-court etiquette.
“We all saw how good he has been as a player, the lessons he taught us, the young players, how to behave on the court, how to handle situations on the court, tough situations. He gave to all of us a lot of emotions when we saw him playing,” Sinner said.
“And also to stay humble at the same time, not changing with the success, choosing the right people around him, having a great family. There are so many great things he gave to all of us.
“Obviously it’s tough, but in another way everything has a beginning and also an ending.”
Ons Jabeur and Maria Sakkari thanked Nadal for inspiring them along with 20-year-old American Coco Gauff, who was not even born when he turned professional.
“You are amazing! It’s been so incredible to witness your greatness and work ethic and be able to learn from it,” the world number four said on social media.
But perhaps no player has seen the best of Nadal more than Swiss great Roger Federer as the two forged an epic rivalry across all surfaces that elevated the sport to stratospheric levels.
Although they were eternal rivals on the Tour, they were close friends off the court and Nadal teamed up with Federer for the final match of his career two years ago at the Laver Cup.
“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” Federer said.
“Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour!”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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