Rory McIlroy sends touching retirement message to 'hero' Rafael Nadal

Rory McIlroy has joined the outpouring of tributes to Rafael Nadal aft the 22-time Grand Slam champion brought the curtain down connected his iconic vocation connected Tuesday

Rory McIlroy has paid tribute to his "hero" Rafael Nadal aft the Spaniard's iconic tennis vocation ended connected Tuesday.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion retired aft Spain's elimination from the Davis Cup quarter-finals astatine the hands of the Netherlands successful Malaga. The 38-year-old, who saw the second portion of his vocation blighted by injuries, was beaten successful consecutive sets by Botic van de Zandschulp successful his last match.

Despite bowing retired connected a sour note, tributes person poured successful from crossed the world of athletics for 1 of the top tennis players of each time. Golf superstar McIlroy was among them, sharing a heartfelt connection connected societal media paying homage to Nadal's achievements.

"Rafa, from watching you triumph your archetypal expansive slam successful 2005 to watching you triumph your past successful 2022, you person been a leader of excavation and an inspiration to however I attack my ain career," McIlroy wrote connected Instagram. "You volition beryllium truthful missed and tennis won't beryllium the aforesaid without you.

"Congratulations connected 1 of the finest sporting careers of each time. See you connected the people soon! Your friend, Rory."

McIlroy, 35, has been upfront astir his fandom of Nadal implicit the years. The Northern Irishman made usage of his escaped clip astatine the Olympics this summertime to question to Roland-Garros and spot Nadal successful enactment 1 past time.

McIlroy was successful the stands successful Paris arsenic Nadal and countryman Carlos Alcaraz teamed up successful the men's doubles, watching their quarter-final decision to United States duo Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram successful July.

"I got to my archetypal lawsuit past nighttime watching Rafa [Nadal] and Carlos [Alcaraz] play doubles," McIlroy said astatine the time. "I ne'er watched Carlos play unrecorded successful idiosyncratic before, which I was truly excited for that. Excited for Rafa arsenic well. That was truly chill to see, and the ambiance determination was electrical erstwhile they started to marque that small fightback successful the 2nd set. That was chill to beryllium a portion of."

Nadal was reduced to tears connected Tuesday arsenic his vocation was recognised with an on-court presumption aft the extremity of the match. He told the crowd: "I'd similar to beryllium remembered arsenic a kid who achieved much than I ever dreamed.

"I person been precise fortunate successful the beingness I person had the accidental to live, I person lived unforgettable experiences due to the fact that of tennis.

"I was conscionable a kid that followed their dreams, worked arsenic hard arsenic imaginable to beryllium wherever I americium today. The mode I'd similar to beryllium remembered astir is arsenic a bully idiosyncratic from a tiny colony successful Mallorca."