Coco Gauff, the rising star of women’s tennis, expressed her admiration and sadness upon hearing the retirement announcement of Rafael Nadal, the legendary 22-time Grand Slam champion.
Nadal’s decision to step away from professional tennis at the end of the season has sent shockwaves through the tennis world. Gauff, who has grown up watching Nadal dominate the sport, was particularly moved by the news.
“It’s going to happen to everybody one day,” Gauff said at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open. “Watching the video, (I was) a bit emotional because Rafa is all I’ve known growing up.”
Gauff recalled Nadal’s consistent support and encouragement, even towards younger players like herself. “Off the court he was always speaking to me, always saying congratulations to me whenever I did well,” she revealed. “It’s something that is very rare when you come across top players (who do that).”
Beyond his remarkable achievements on the court, Gauff emphasized Nadal’s human qualities. “I remember at one point he said congratulations to me the year I went to the finals of the French Open,” she said. “I kind of did a double take, because I couldn’t believe he was speaking to me.”
Gauff also shared a memorable encounter with Nadal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “We were both waiting on the shuttle. It was the last shuttle of the day, like 11 p.m. I asked him if I could have one of his pins. He gave me one. …He was super nice with that,” she recalled.
“Just something like that I’ll remember. And something I’ll definitely tell my kids, because it meant a lot to me.”
Nadal’s retirement marks the end of an era in tennis. Gauff, like many others, will miss his presence on the court but will cherish the memories and lessons he has left behind.
