"Her elegance, grace and loyalty to her duty will live on in history" - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and tennis world mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth II
Tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal led the tennis world in mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, taking to social media to post their messages of condolence.
After living to the age of 97, Her Majesty the Queen passed away on September 8, bringing to an end her 70-year reign as the monarch of the British Empire -- the longest-ever reign by a British ruler and the second-longest of any emperor. Following her death, her son Charles III has taken up the mantle at the age of 73.
Moments after the news hit, millions flocked to social media to mourn the passing of the woman who has been Queen for as long as they can remember and the tennis world was not far off.
Federer, who has been lucky enough to meet Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions thanks to his exploits at Wimbledon, remarked that he was "deeply saddened" by her passing and sent his condolences to the Royal Family and all of Britain.
"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Her Royal Majesty. Her elegance, grace and loyalty to her duty will live on in history. I would like to send my thoughts and condolences to the entire Royal Family and Great Britain," Federer said.
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Her Royal Majesty. Her elegance, grace and loyalty to her duty will live on in history. I would like to send my thoughts and condolences to the entire Royal Family and Great Britain. https://t.co/4rrUIPbLkV
Nadal joined his friend soon after, expressing a similar sentiment.
"My most respectful, sincere and deepest condolences to the Royal Family of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to the British people for the pass of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II," Nadal wrote.
My most respectful, sincere and deepest condolences to the Royal Family of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to the British people for the pass of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II
Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King also expressed their sadness at the news, with the latter recalling meeting the Queen back in 2010 and thanking her for the immense impact she has had on the world.
"How utterly sad- Queens Elizabeth has died- long live the King," Navratilova tweeted. "Lucky me. The Queen came to Wimbledon a few years ago and we all stood in line to hopefully speak to her, it was magical."
How utterly sad- Queens Elizabeth has died- long live the King…🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
@DonPenlandNC Yes I did. Lucky me. The Queen came to Wimbledon a few years ago and we all stood in line to hopefully speak to her, it was magical:)
"I am saddened to learn of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. For 70 years, her leadership, impact, and influence on the United Kingdom and the entire global community has been immense. I met her in 2010 at Wimbledon, and it was a special moment for me," King tweeted. "She earned her place in history, and she will be missed."
(1/2) I am saddened to learn of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
For 70 years, her leadership, impact, and influence on the United Kingdom and the entire global community has been immense. I met her in 2010 at Wimbledon, and it was a special moment for me. https://t.co/ByFAfQQPJH
(2/2) She was the longest reigning British monarch in history, the only woman from the Royal Family to serve in the armed forces, and a respected leader around the world.
She earned her place in history, and she will be missed.
Denmark's Holger Rune also shared a message to the Queen, saying that he understood her importance and influence considering that he himself came from a monarchy.
"Coming from a monarchy, we know that our queen is the heart of our country. I send my condolences to the the People of Great Britain.
we know that our queen is the heart of our country. I send my condolences to the the People of Great Britain 
Coming from a monarchy🇩🇰we know that our queen is the heart of our country. I send my condolences to the the People of Great Britain 🇬🇧 https://t.co/Mc0fGwFdRJ
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal might both skip 2022 Laver Cup
Up next on both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's 2022 schedule is the Laver Cup. Unfortunately, both players might have to skip the tournament due to unforeseen circumstances.
While Nadal is back home in Spain to spend time with his wife Maria Francisca Perello, who is currently pregnant with their first son, Federer has had his knee injury resurface and is at risk of postponing his comeback. However, neither has confirmed that they will be missing from the team competition as of yet.