McIlroy pays tribute to Nadal: “You have been a hero of mine and an inspiration to how I approach my own career”

Rafa Nadal By Steve Collis from Melbourne, Australia

Rory McIlroy joined the chorus of stars paying tribute to tennis legend Rafa Nadal after his retirement from the game on Tuesday night.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner said goodbye to the game in Malaga last night when Spain lost to the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.

“More than for the titles, I want to be remembered as a good person, as the boy from Manacor who chased his dreams.”

There were video tributes from footballers Raúl Gonzalez, Rodrigo Hernández (Rodri), Iker Casillas, Andrés Iniesta and David Beckham, tennis stars Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Conchita Martínez and Novak Djokovic as well as golfer Sergio García.

McIlroy added his own tribute on Instagram minutes after Spain’s elimination confirmed Nadal’s retirement from the game.

“Rafa, From watching you win your first grand slam in 2005 to watching you win your last in 2022, you have been a hero of mine and an inspiration to how I approach my own career,” McIlroy wrote.

"You will be so missed and tennis won't be the same without you.

"Congratulations on one of the finest sporting careers of all time. See you on the course soon! Your friend, Rory.”

McIlroy watched Nadal on the Centre Court at Wimbledon as far back as 2011, when he had just captured his first major, the US Open, just weeks after suffering a final round collapse in the Masters.

The Spanish star admitted months earlier that he was inspired watching McIlroy’s US Open quest at Congressional, where he went on to win by eight strokes.

"For sure, what he's doing is really something unbelievable,” Nadal said. "I met him in New York last year. Well, I love golf. I follow almost every week the tour. Seriously, I love watching Rory.

"He's probably one of the nicest swing in the world, if not the nicest. Seriously, is fantastic watch him what he's doing in this tournament.

"He had a very tough fourth round of Augusta this year, and he deserves to win a major because, in my opinion, right now he's playing at a different level than the rest. So for sure is an inspiration. I admire him a lot.”

The pair met again at Wimbledon later that summer — "I talked with him half an hour in the locker room,” said Nadal, who went on to lose to Novak Djokovic in the final.