"One of the most prolific careers"- Lindsey Vonn shares a heartfelt message for Rafael Nadal as he bids farewell to the sport at the Davis Cup

Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn left a heartwarming message for Rafael Nadal as the latter bid farewell to his storied professional tennis career at the Davis Cup. The Spaniard faced a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening singles clash, despite having won 29 Davis Cup singles matches since 2004.

Lindsey Vonn, the alpine skier with 82 World Cup wins in her wall of fame, has been friends with Swiss maestro Roger Federer for years. However, she also admires Nadal, dubbed the King of Clay, having watched him play from the sidelines.

On November 20, 2024, as the tennis icon retired from competitive tennis after his bout in the Davis Cup, Vonn shared a heartfelt farewell message for the Spaniard.

"You had one of the most prolific careers in the history of tennis. I'm so honored to watch many of your matches. Wish you all the best in your future, with your family and your foundation." (via ATP Tour Instagram)

Vonn also took to her Instagram story to share a picture with Nadal from Laureus Sports Award and captioned:

"Congratulations on an incredible career @rafaelnadal You are an amazing role model and have always competed with class and respect for the game. Thank you for inspiring me and the rest of the world you will be missed but I'm sure you will not stop inspiring us even in your next chapter of life."

Lindsey Vonn pens a heartfelt note for Rafael Nadal; Instagram - @lindseyvonn

Nadal ended his career with the second-most Grand Slam titles to his name in the history of men's tennis, bagging a record 22 titles, right behind Novak Djokovic, who stands with 24.

Lindsey Vonn shouted out to Rafael Nadal's resilience after watching him take his 14th French Open title

Lindsey Vonn at the Minnesota Lynx v Los Angeles Sparks - (Source: Getty)

Vonn was present to watch Nadal lift his 14th French Open title in 2022. Having watched him play, the alpine skier lauded the Spaniard's grit and determination and the quality to persevere in the sport despite persisting injuries.

“Watching Nadal win the French Open was really incredible. His grit, I think, is pretty impressive. He's continuously come back from so many injuries and he's at an age now where many people write him off, but he fights for every single point and it's impressive to watch," said Vonn in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com.

Vonn recently marked her comeback to alpine skiing after drawing a line to her career in 2019, citing injuries. She rejoined the Stifel US Ski team and will compete in the ongoing 2024/25 alpine skiing World Cup season, aiming for FIS points.