Rafael Nadal produced some of the best tennis the sport has ever seen during his career, but the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner also highlighted his broader impact in setting an example to players on and off the court.
Tennis fans worldwide are still reeling from Nadal's announcement of his retirement on Thursday. His last appearance as a professional player will be at the Davis Cup Finals on home soil in Malaga in November.
It is fitting that Nadal ends his incredible career at the Davis Cup. He won four titles with Team Spain in 2004, 2009, 2011, and 2019. Defeating Andy Roddick in the 2004 Davis Cup final to seal the title for his country cemented him as a force to be reckoned with.
Nadal went on to have numerous other successes during his career, including an unprecedented 14 French Open titles. But his influence extended beyond being one of the most statistically successful players ever.
The Spaniard is known for his impeccable conduct. Throughout his professional career, he has never smashed a racquet and tried to focus on bringing positive energy to the court during his matches.
Numerous stories also exist about Nadal being friendly and welcoming off the court, making time for his ball kids, fans, and other figures behind the scenes, such as staff members at hotels he stayed at during tournaments.
The current world No. 1, Jannik Sinner, shares many of those qualities. He is not as intense as Nadal during matches, but he also conducts himself impeccably, never lashing out in the heat of battle and being kind to others off the court.
Sinner was asked about Nadal in his press conference after reaching the semifinal of the Shanghai Masters. The 23-year-old revealed the 22-time Grand Slam champion played a significant role in teaching him how to behave properly.
"Of course, the player, we all saw how good he has been as a player, and, you know, the lessons he taught us, you know, the young players, how to behave on the court, how to handle situations on the court, tough situations. Yeah, he gave to all of us a lot of emotions when we saw him playing."
"And also to stay humble, you know, in the same time, not changing with the success, choosing the right people around him, having a great family."
The world No. 1 acknowledged that Nadal's looming retirement is a tough moment for tennis but accepted that everything has a beginning and an end, including legendary tennis careers like Nadal's.
"There are many great things he gave to all of us, and obviously it's a tough, yeah, it's a tough, you know, notification, but in another way everything has a beginning, and it has a start, and also an ending. So, yeah, only he knows how he feels, so it's, yeah, it's a tough one, but, you know, yeah, that's it."
Sinner and others' praise of Nadal as a person and not just as a tennis player is a testament to him. Those attributes as a human being will be part of his legacy for years to come.
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