"You were special to us" - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick and others mourn the passing of renowned tennis official Tom Barnes

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and many other tennis players have shared their condolences following the death of renowned tennis official Tom Barnes.

Former chair umpire Barnes passed away at the age of 82 on Wednesday, February 21. He had served as an official on the ATP tour for over three decades and served as the referee at tournaments as recently as last year.

The 2021 ATP Finals was the last time he served as the supervisor of a tournament. Since then, he has mentored officials and refereed at events across the globe. Barnes is survived by his wife Debbie, son, and two grandchildren.

Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick stated that he was heartbroken to learn the news of Barnes' demise, recalling how he always dealt players with love and respect.

“I'm heartbroken to hear about the passing of my friend Tom Barnes. We all remember the people who taught us the ropes when first on tour. We didn't always agree when arguing about whatever dumb thing I had done on court, but I always trusted his opinion,” he said. (via ATP)

“He had this intimidating grumble of a voice, but it always dealt in love and respect. Over time it became less intimidating, and more endearing. He's someone that made me better. I won't forget him. I know tennis won't either. RIP Barnes,” he added.

Winner of 22 Grand Slams, Nadal, took to social media to express his condolences.

"RIP Tom. You were special to us and we will miss you. My condolences to his family and the whole ATP tennis family," he said.

Screenshot of Rafael Nadal's Instagram story.

Andy Murray also expressed sadness at Barnes' demise and praised the way he handled players during his career.

"Such sad news. He was such a solid guy. Extremely fair in how he dealt with any issues that came up on court and he’d let you know if you were being a prat! Genuinely cared about all the players and officials on tour," he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Here are some more reactions from the tennis world following the death of Rom Barnes:

---

Rafael Nadal skips Qatar Open, hopes to take part in Indian Wells and Las Vegas exhibition event

Rafael Nadal in action at the 2024 Brisbane International.

Having sat out most of the 2023 season, Rafael Nadal returned to action at the Brisbane International last month. In his first match, he beat 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem 7-5, 6-1.

Later, he won 6-1, 6-2 against Australia’s Jason Kubler to reach the quarterfinals, where he locked horns with Jordan Thompson and lost 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3. He picked up a hip injury in that defeat, which forced him to skip the Australian Open.

The Spaniard was expected to return to action at the ongoing Qatar Open. However, he announced his withdrawal from the ATP 250 event and stated that he was hoping to compete in Indian Wells later this year.

"I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament," he said in an Instagram post.

Nadal is scheduled to face Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on March 3.