Rafael Nadal is one of the most statistically successful tennis players ever, but he hopes to be remembered primarily for being a good human being.
Millions of fans worldwide will miss Nadal's thrilling and unique brand of tennis after he retired at the Davis Cup Finals, which saw him win 14 French Open titles, 22 Grand Slams in total and become the world No. 1 on multiple occasions.
However, Nadal's legacy is not just about what he won. The 38-year-old always conducted himself impeccably on and off the court, acting as the perfect role model to aspiring players.
Nadal's longtime sponsor, Babolat, referenced the tennis legend's behavior in a bag it produced for him, writing that he had never smashed any of the rackets the equipment company gave him.
No athlete deserved a fairytale ending more than Nadal. He aimed to win a fifth Davis Cup title in his final professional appearance at this year's finals, held on home soil in Malaga.
Unfortunately, Nadal's last singles match ended in defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman silenced the partisan crowd with a composed performance to defeat the tennis legend 6-4, 6-4.
Carlos Alcaraz kept Spain's hopes alive in the next match, but the 21-year-old and Marcel Granollers lost in the deciding singles match to eliminate Team Spain and officially make Nadal a retired player.
Nadal spoke to the crowd after Team Spain was knocked out. The 22-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged the titles he had won but stated being remembered as a good person meant more to him.
"I said before: the titles, the numbers are there. So, people probably know that. But the way I would like to be remembered more is like a good person from a small village in Mallorca."
A visibly emotional Nadal then described how lucky he felt to have his uncle Toni as a tennis coach as a child and a very supportive family that helped him throughout his journey as a professional player.
"I had the luck that I had my uncle who was a tennis coach in my village when I was a very, very small kid and I had a great family who had the chance to support me in every single moment. Just a kid that follow their dreams and worked as hard as possible to be what I am today."
Nadal ended by saying that life had given him a chance to experience unique moments as a tennis player before reiterating that he wanted to be remembered as a good person despite achieving more than he had ever dreamed of.
"A lot of people works hard, a lot of people tries their best every single day, but I am one of the lucky ones that life gave me an opportunity to live unforgettable experiences because of tennis. I just want to be remembered as a good person and a kid who followed their dreams and achieved more than I ever dreamed."
Those remarks perfectly demonstrate why figures like Andy Roddick have lauded Rafael Nadal for being such a humble champion.
0 Comments