In a wholesome video, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams pays her tribute to now-retired Rafael Nadal. The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, who spent 209 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, wrapped up his remarkable two-decade-long tennis career after Spain’s loss in the 2024 Davis Cup.
Many prominent players, including Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and David Beckham, congratulated him on his impeccable professional journey.
While everyone seemed to be in tears during Nadal’s last goodbye, the ATP Tour posted a special tribute video from Serena Williams.
As per the 43-year-old, Rafael Nadal is an inspiration for all. She even opened up about the time when Rafa first made his way to the court, admiring his fashion, strong and powerful arms.
Serena Williams said, “Oh my god. These two names are such names of legend, such names of inspiration, so much power. First of all, I have always admired Rafa, loved what he has done when he first came on the scene with those incredibly long shorts, which I was so cool and so stylish. Obviously, I loved the fashion and his power and his arm.”
She even crowned Rafa as the most iconic and amazing tennis player to ever grace the sport with his fitness and passion.
Continuing further, she added, “I loved the strength he had in his arms. I was like wow that is so just cool and inspiring.… And I would also look at his matches and be like I wanna do like that; I wanna move like that; I wanna play like that.”
Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and other young players pay touching tribute to Rafael Nadal
With that being said, there is no denying that Rafael Nadal’s glittering career has left an impactful mark on the history of tennis. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has scripted history with his record-breaking performance and titles. Many up-and-coming players, who have been making all the right noises, crown him as their ideal.
Current World No. 3, Carlos Alcaraz has always been a great fan of Nadal and has openly talked about how Nadal has inspired him to be at the highest position.
WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek was the first one to pen down an emotional note to highlight her idol’s (Rafael Nadal) journey. She wrote, “You (Rafa) were and still are the biggest inspiration that I ever had in tennis. The reason why sometimes I got extra motivated and kept pushing myself.”
Talking about the next generation, Rafael Nadal has always been an excellent example for them, showcasing just how consistency, passion, and hard work look. Perhaps now it’s time for the newer generation to carry forward his legacy and make tennis reach a new high.
