The most heartbreaking day for tennis lovers has finally come after much anticipation. Rafael Nadal is retiring but after one last tournament in his bag. While the fraternity remembers his success with a heavy heart, they express how globally people admire him. Now that Sloane Stephens has joined the club, the gratitude has come full circle, offering a peek into what people hold for Rafael Nadal.

Stephens joined the bandwagon of players who paid tribute to Rafael Nadal after he announced his retirement. The 22-time Grand Slam winner announced on social media two days ago that he would retire from professional tennis after the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga. “I think the time has come to end my career, which has been long and much more successful than I could have imagined,” tweeted the Mallorcan legend. After two seasons burdened with injury woes, Nadal skipped many tournaments and played his final Madrid Open match this season. However, his refusal to accept Roland Garros’ farewell felicitation speculated that the legend might return in the next season. However, that hope is now gone in ashes!

Nadal’s retirement saddened the whole community. From Federer to Nick Kyrgios, everyone had an adorable gratitude message for the former ATP number one. This expressed how much he was adored by his peers. Now Stephens also shared her message for the Roland Garros legend. “One of the greatest to ever do it, @rafaelnadal congratulate on a monumental career,” she wrote, sharing an image with the former ATP number one on her Instagram story. Nadal would play his final match in Malaga for the Davis Cup final 8. He won the title twenty years back in Seville and believed it was his way of “coming full circle.”

On the other hand, Stephens always admired the Mallorcan. In an interview with Tennis Now previously, Stephens said about Rafa, “I love Rafa. So I love seeing him at tournaments; I get starstruck when I see him. I’m like, Oh, my God, I wish I could touch him.”

It was surprising how many people expressed sadness over Nadal’s retirement. The most interesting one came from a legendary Roland Garros announcer who witnessed the Spaniard’s dominance on Paris’ clay court for years.

Marc Maury paid a great tribute to Rafael Nadal

Not just athletes, but everyone associated with Nadal’s glorious career expressed gratitude to the legend. Marc Maury, a legendary Roland Garros commentator and a French decathlete, announced Nadal’s name for the last time in his usual style. “RAFAAAEEEEEL… NADAAAAAAAAAL!” Maury said, taking the audience to the old good days of young Nadal dominating Roland Garros’ clay court. When the Tennis Letter tweeted the video, they dropped an emotional message confirming “We will never hear this sound again at Roland Garros is so sad.”

Rafael Nadal’s retirement would truly put an end to a glorious era in the sport. Given he is the second among the Tennis Big Three, his retirement would leave only Djokovic, paving the way for the next generation to come forward. Since all good things come to an end, as supporters we would support the legend in his decision and hope for the best as he slides into his off-court time permanently.