It’s a moment that tugs at the heartstrings of tennis fans worldwide—a farewell no one was ready for. After gracing the courts with over two decades of brilliance and an astounding 22 Grand Slam titles, the legendary Rafael Nadal is preparing to hang up his racquets after the ongoing Davis Cup Finals. Tributes for the Spanish maestro are pouring in from all corners of the globe, and now, adding her voice to this emotional chorus is none other than Serena Williams

The former American tennis sensation took to her Instagram account to pay a heartwarming and unique tribute to the legendary player. She was seen in a special Nike gear, as she donned a white T-shirt with a picture of Nadal along with his iconic raging bull logo etched on it. She was also seen wearing a white headband with a red-raging bull logo visible on it. “We are always gonna miss you,” she said, adding that it’s not a retirement rather Nadal is simply moving on to the next chapter of his life. But what caught the attention was the heartwarming caption she wrote along with the video.

Expressing her high regard for the tennis great, Williams wrote, “@rafaelnadal Congratulations on a career that most wont dare to dream of. I feel so fortunate to have been able to play when you were playing and being Great. You inspired me to be better, to play harder, for fight, to never give up, and to win more.” Continuing further, she highlighted how Nadal’s legacy would continue to inspire many budding players. 

“No excuses just play the sport. You legacy will never die. Wow to see your career from the beginning to today was an honor Champ! Long live Rafa! #rafanadal,” she added further in the caption. Interestingly, Serena Williams is not the only former player and tennis great to share such remarks for Rafael Nadal as similar reactions also came from the Spaniard’s arch-rival and close friend Roger Federer. 

In a heart wrenching post on X, Federer expressed how saddening is Nadal’s retirement for him. He highlighted that Nadal “made the whole tennis world proud.” On a lighter note, he mentioned the time when he sent his children to Nadal’s own academy. Mentioning the best times spent with Rafa, Federer recalled the Laver Cup Finals where the Swiss Maestro played his last match. “It meant everything to me that you were there by my side— not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career,” Federer added 

Amidst the heartwarming tributes that Nadal is witnessing, he is gradually gearing up to enter a new phase of his life. But Rafa seems to be neither worried about this new chapter, nor sad for bidding adieu to the sport. 

Rafael Nadal will leave tennis with “calm” and “personal satisfaction”

Rafael Nadal’s contribution to tennis has been immense over the years. The tennis great did not just establish himself as one of the most formidable forces but also achieved everything that a player desires in their career. And now, he seems to be graciously leaving tennis with calm and personal satisfaction. 

Speaking about the same ahead of the Davis Cup, Nadal shared, “I am going to leave this professional tour with the calm and with the personal satisfaction that I give my best almost in every single moment.” He highlighted that he is not worried about the next chapter of his life either and is ready to face everything that may come his way. 

“I am not worried about the next chapter in my life. I have been always happy without tennis, and I had a lot of moments in my life that I was not able to play tennis because of injuries, so I spent a lot of months doing other things.” As Rafa leaves a legacy behind, it would be interesting to see if more veterans or current players would join the likes of Serena Williams to pay more heartwarming tributes to the tennis legend.