Rafael Nadal was awarded the Laureus Sports Legend Award to reflect on his illustrious career and share his insights
On April 21, 2025, former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal was in the limelight when he won the Laureus Sports Legend Award in Madrid.
Nadal, a two-time (2011 and 2021) Laureus World Sports Award for Male Athlete of the Year, officially retired from the event of representing his country in the Davis Cup last November. At the award ceremony in Madrid, Nadal could not hide his excitement, and he sincerely said:
"To be honest, I don't know how to get started. I am not preparing for this wonderful moment to speak in front of all of you. But many of you are athletes that I've inspired me since I was a kid, and it's very, very special to have the opportunity to speak in front of you today. ”
Over the course of his illustrious career, the Spaniard has achieved impressive results according to the Infosys ATP win-loss index, winning 92 titles and 1,080 tournament-level victories. He has been ranked No. 1 in the world for 209 weeks in the PIF ATP rankings, ranking sixth in history (since 1973).
At the ceremony, Edwin Moses introduced Nadal, while Simone Biles presented the trophy to the legendary left-hander. Moses spoke highly of Nadal:
Outside of the tennis courts, his foundation has been working hard since its inception for about 15 years to continue to improve the lives of young people. Standing in Spain's capital, I am proud to pay tribute to a global sports icon, one of Spain's greatest athletes of all time, who has an indomitable will to win, but is at the same time full of compassion, humility and sportsmanship. ”
Nadal also shared his thoughts and suggestions at the end of his speech:
"Congratulations to Simone and everyone here for such a wonderful career. I wish you all the best for the future. For those who are still competing, enjoy the moment because careers are short. But just work hard, enjoy and cherish every moment you have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful world of sports. Keep moving. ”
On the night of the award, Nadal had a heartfelt conversation on the red carpet with compatriot Alcaraz, who was nominated for the Men's Sportsman of the Year award, which was eventually won by Mondo Duplantis. In addition, the Laureus World Sports Awards 2025 ceremony will be attended by many of the biggest names in tennis, including Novak Djokovic, Tsitsipas, Badosa, Muguruza, Bencic, Garcia and Vekic to name a few more. Nadal's award for sporting legend is not only a testament to his illustrious career, but also a role model for the younger generation of athletes.
[Come and see me] [Zuoyi] [Rose] [Flicking fists]
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