Novak Djokovic hailed Rafael Nadal’s “legacy” while Carlos Alcaraz said hearing about his fellow Spaniard’s retirement was “painful”.
Novak Djokovic hailed Rafael Nadal’s “legacy” while Carlos Alcaraz said hearing about his fellow Spaniard’s retirement was “painful”. Nadal announced Thursday that he will step back from tennis after the Davis Cup finals in November, ending his 22-Grand Slam winning career. “Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever,” 24-time Grand Slam title winner and fellow former world number one Djokovic wrote on Instagram. Djokovic and Nadal clashed 60 times with the Serb edging their rivalry 31-29.
They met for the first time at the French Open in 2006 when Nadal triumphed while Djokovic won their last clash, also on the courts of Roland Garros, at the Paris Olympics this year.
Alcaraz, already a four-time major winner at 21, said he had been shocked by Nadal’s announcement.
“When I watched it, it was tough to accept it. I was in shock a little bit,” said Alcaraz after he was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters in the last eight.
“To see him leave tennis, which is what he loves, is painful, it hurts me,” Alcaraz, who will play with Nadal in the Davis Cup in Spain, added.
The 23-year-old added: “He taught us young players how to behave on the court, how to handle situations on the court. Also to stay humble at the same time, not changing with his success.
“It’s tough news for all the tennis world and not only (the tennis world).”
