New Delhi, India

Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). Nadal, a supporter of Ronaldo’s former side Real Madrid, called time on his career after winning 22 Grand Slam titles. According to Ronaldo, it was an honour to witness the incredible journey that saw him become one of the finest athletes in the history of sports.

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Ronaldo pays tribute

"Rafa, what an incredible career you've had! Your dedication, passion and incredible talent have inspired millions around the world. It has been an honour to witness your journey and be able to call you a friend. Congratulations on an amazing career! Enjoy your retirement,” Ronaldo wrote in his tribute to Nadal.

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After an incredible journey, Nadal will officially hang his racket after the upcoming Davis Cup. The tournament in November will be his last as a professional and he will go down as one of the finest tennis players in the history of the game. During his more than two-decade-long career, Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Open titles.

ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal Retires: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic pay tribute to King of Clay

He also won two Wimbledon and two Australia Open titles in his prime which saw him become one of the finest players in the history of sports. Nadal also won four US Open titles despite the hard court not being his favourite surface.

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Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of the French Open was highlighted by his impressive record in Paris. In 116 matches at the court, he won 112 and only ended on the losing side four times. Djokovic was the only tennis star to beat him twice at the Roland Garros.

To add to his illustrious tally, Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in men’s singles at the Beijing Games in 2008. However, he failed to win the ATP World Tour finals in his two-decade-long career.