After Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 season on Thursday, WTA stars Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff shared touching messages for the former world No.1, who spent 209 weeks atop the PIF ATP Rankings during his career. Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion who considers Nadal her role model, posted a video on social media sharing her thoughts on her “biggest inspiration” and the impact he had on her career. “You have been and continue to be my biggest inspiration in tennis. The reason why sometimes I got more motivated and kept trying,” shared the four-time Roland Garros champion. Swiatek called it a special day for all tennis fans, thanked to the 22-time Grand Slam champion for his humility and wished him the best as he prepares for the next chapter of his life. “I hope you’re going to enjoy the other part of your life and hopefully some other career, because the sky is the limit for you now. And I hope you spend a lot of time with your loved ones and your family now.”
For her part, Coco Gauff also shared her thoughts on the 14-time Roland Garros champion at the WTA Dongfeng Voyah – Wuhan Open tournament in China. “He’s my favorite person to watch train honestly,” said the 2023 US Open champion. “The intensity that he brought on the practice court and obviously in a match is something that I felt like watching is incomparable.” “Watching the video, I got a little emotional because Rafa is all I’ve known growing up. I’m sure he’s won Roland Garros most of my life,” said Gauff, born three years after Nadal turned professional. in 2001. He also fondly remembered Nadal at this year’s Paris Olympics. “Actually, I don’t think he posted the photo, but we exchanged pins at the Olympics, which is the only thing I wanted to do. He was super nice about it. We were both waiting for the transport, it was the last one of the day, like at 11 at night. I asked him if he could give me one of his pins. And he gave me one!” “Carlos [Alcaraz] was there too, but Carlos didn’t have any pins. I just took the photo with Rafa there. I was like, ‘Carlos, you can’t be in it because you didn’t give me a pin,'” she shared, laughing. “Yes, something like that I will remember. And something that I will definitely tell my children because it meant a lot to me.”
