Rafael Nadal may have stepped off the tennis courts, but his legacy is still making waves around the globe. The Spaniard’s retirement hasn’t slowed the outpouring of love and admiration for his incredible career—and now, Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams‘ husband, has joined the chorus. But in true Ohanian fashion, this isn’t just any tribute. Known for his knack for blending creativity and thoughtfulness, Ohanian has added his own unique flair to celebrate Rafa’s legacy.

In an Instagram post shared by Alt which claims itself to be the modern marketplace to buy and sell trading cards, Ohanian can be seen making a special announcement. The Reddit co-founder shared that he would be auctioning one of Nadal’s best rookie cards, the 2003 NetPro Elite Glossy /100 in a PSA 10. NetPro has been operating since 1991 and is the first brand to officially produce tennis trading cards. Ohanian, known for his interest in these cards has now decided to auction one of these cards in a tribute to Nadal.

Speaking in the video, Ohanian said, “In honor of the retirement of the Great Rafael Nadal, I’m auctioning off one of my gem mint 10 out of 100 glossy net pro rookie cards of his. It’s a beautiful card, very hard to get in a 10. I got a few PSA 10 Nadals and this is one of them.” Continuing further, he also offered his tributes to the tennis great for his legendary career. “Good luck, congrats on an amazing career Rafa! You’re a special guy!” Ohanian added. 

Remember, Ohanian has previously highlighted that he likes collecting these rookie cards, especially the ones that have his wife Serena Williams featured on them. His collections include the Williams sisters, Rafa, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, and many more. And now, he is auctioning one of these special possessions to pay an ode to Nadal. 

The Spanish sensation bowed out at the Davis Cup Finals on November 19 after facing defeat against Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. This not only ended his winning streak of 20 years and 29 consecutive wins in the tournament but also his illustrious career. Tributes have continued to pour in for him since then and it is not just Ohanian who made a unique gesture. A similarly unique tribute for the Spaniard came from Ohanian’s wife and tennis great Williams as well.

When Serena Williams paid a special tribute to Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has not just amassed immense accolades on the court but also a huge fanbase and respect from even his fellow players and colleagues. It is for this reason, that the entire tennis community joined hands to pay tributes to Nadal. One such tribute came from Serena Williams as well who highlighted her unique trait to share an emotional message for Rafa. 

Taking to her Instagram on Nadal’s retirement, Williams shared a video of herself. 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 also wore a white headband with a red-raging bull logo visible on it. “We are always gonna miss you,” she said in the video highlighting how his retirement is just another chapter of his life. She also ensured to add a touching caption to it. 

“Congratulations on a career that most won’t 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,” Williams wrote. And now, her husband has joined to pay tribute uniquely as well. It would be interesting to see if more such gestures and voices would emerge for Nadal from more people in the tennis community. But one thing is certain: Nadal’s legacy will continue to echo for long.