“Legend”, “role model”, “inspiration”, “friend”: Rafael Nadal’s announcement that he is to retire after next month’s Davis Cup Finals prompted an outpouring of affection across the sporting world and beyond.
Nadal, one of the greatest tennis players of all time who has won 22 grand slam titles and spent 209 weeks as the world No 1, published a video on several social media platforms on Thursday morning revealing the “difficult decision” to call time on his career.
