Lindsey Vonn pens emotional note for Rafael Nadal as tennis icon bids farewell to the sport at the Davis Cup

By Adityan Pillai

Modified Nov 20, 2024 01:01 GMT

Lindsey Vonn penned an emotional farewell note for Rafael Nadal as the star tennis player made his final appearance in the Davis Cup in Malaga. Nadal competed in the first singles match of the quarterfinal tie between Spain and the Netherlands at the Davis Cup.

Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in what could be the final match of the Spaniard's career. There have been concerns about Nadal getting an opportunity to play one more match if Spain beats the Netherlands in the next two matches however, the Spaniard expressed his uneasiness in a post-match press conference about playing another match.

As Rafael Nadal embarked on the final tournament appearance of his career, the sports world has been paying tributes as well as sharing farewell notes to celebrate his illustrious career. Lindsey Vonn, who has been a huge tennis fan and is often spotted watching major tournaments, took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt note.

She shared a picture of the two from the Laureus Sports Awards and wrote:

"Congratulations on an incredible career @rafaelnadal You are an amazing role model and have always competed with class and respect for the game. Thank you for inspiring me and the rest of the world you will be missed but I'm sure you will not stop inspiring us even in your next chapter of life."

Lindsey Vonn and Rafael Nadal | Instagram@LindseyVonn

Lindsey Vonn on being inspired by Rafael Nadal

Lindsey Vonn at the Alpine Skiing - FIS World Championships in Garmisch Partenkirchen - Source: Getty

Lindsey Vonn spoke about being inspired by Rafael Nadal's grit and dedication despite suffering from multiple injuries throughout his career. Vonn, being a professional athlete herself had faced multiple setbacks in the form of injuries however, she managed to bounce back stronger every time.

She spoke about Nadal winning his 14 French Open title despite an ongoing foot Injury. Vonn spoke to Olympics.com about being inspired by the legendary athlete and said:

“Watching Nadal win the French Open was really incredible. His grit, I think, is pretty impressive. He's continuously come back from so many injuries and he's at an age now where many people write him off, but he fights for every single point and it's impressive to watch.”

Furthermore, Lindsey Vonn spoke about his incredible movement on the court as well as his spirit to fight till the end of the game which separates him from his contemporaries.