(Video) “Thank you for being such an amazing person,” Rafael Nadal fangirl Iga Swiatek pays tribute to the retiring legend
Iga Swiatek took to Instagram to post a heartwarming message after her idol Rafael Nadal announced he will retire this season.
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Iga Swiatek shared a heartfelt post on Rafael Nadal (Images via Instagram, X)
Rafael Nadal is a role model for many young tennis stars. Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz‘s names always come to mind whenever one thinks of players who idolize the tennis legend.
Nadal, on Thursday (October 10), announced that he will retire at the end of this season. Swiatek, who has never hidden from anyone how much she gets inspired and influenced by Nadal, took to her Instagram and posted a heartwarming message for her idol.
You were and still are the biggest inspiration that I ever had in tennis the reason why sometimes I got extra motivated and kept pushing myself. Thank you for that and thank you for being such an amazing person off the court as well. Your humility is something that is not so [common] when you see other athletes succeeding.
Iga Swiatek said on Instagram
Swiatek thanked the 14-time Roland Garros champion for being a “good” person and always staying “honest with himself“. She wants to walk in the footsteps of Nadal, especially on the clay swing. Like Nadal, even the 23-year-old has started stunning the tennis world with her performances at the French Open, winning four titles already.
Check out the post here:
Aryna Sabalenka got emotional while watching Rafael Nadal’s retirement video
Aryna Sabalenka is in Wuhan and has reached the semifinals. Before her fourth-round match against Yulia Putintseva, which she won in three sets, Sabalenka watched Nadal’s video with tears in her eyes. After the match, the Belarusian wished him the best for the next chapter of his life.
I watched his retirement video before my match. It was very emotional. I didn’t cry, but I had tears in my eyes. It is incredible what he has achieved in the sport. He is an inspiration for all of us and for the next generation, for all current players.
Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference
Nada’s final tournament will be the Davis Cup in Malaga in November. He will also feature in the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event in Riyadh this month. Nadal, who has 92 career titles, has failed to clinch a trophy this season due to his constant fight with fitness problems, though he reached the final at theNordea Open.
He was last seen in action during the Paris Olympics quarterfinal match in doubles where he played alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Sabalenka, on the other hand, beat her quarterfinal opponent Magdalena Frech in Wuhan to set up her semifinal clash with China Open champion Coco Gauff.
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Gouri Das
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