"If my kids ever try to imitate anything Rafael Nadal did, I would be beaming with pride" - Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick said he would be the proudest father if his children ever tried to emulate anything Rafael Nadal did. He shared this sentiment while discussing the Spanish tennis legend's legacy after his retirement.

Nadal played the final professional tournament of his career at the Davis Cup Finals last week, concluding a remarkable journey that spanned over 20 years. Although he didn’t secure a win in his farewell campaign for Spain, he exited the sport with pride, ready to embrace life beyond tennis.

Roddick has always admired Nadal and didn’t hold back in the latest episode of his podcast, Served with Andy Roddick. He talked about how the 22-time Grand Slam champion changed the game of tennis and praised him for always acting like a true "gentleman," even on his worst days.

"An absolute gentleman. If my kids ever try to imitate anything that Rafael Nadal did, I would be beaming with pride. The way he went about it, the way he treated people, the way he had time for everyone. In his bad mood, he will still look you in the eye and say, 'Hello!' and that's before we even get to what he did on court," the American said (at 24:00).

He added:

"The way he fought, the way he went about his business, the way he completely transformed tennis with his ability to create spin and power and speed and all the sudden you put all of the things together."

Andy Roddick married Brooklyn Decker in April 2009, and the couple has two children. Their son, Hank, was born in 2015 and is now nine years old, while their daughter, Stevie, born in 2018, is six years old.

Rafael Nadal: "I want to be remembered as a kid that followed their dreams and achieved more than what I had dreamed"

Rafael Nadal pictured at the 2024 Davis Cup Final | Image Source: Getty

Rafael Nadal's remarkable career came to an end on an emotional night in Malaga as Spain faced the Netherlands in the Davis Cup. In his final professional match, he lost 6-4, 6-4 to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp before bidding adieu.

In his heartfelt farewell speech, Nadal expressed his hope to be remembered for more than just his achievements. He said he wants to be seen as a kid who dreamed big and accomplished more than he ever imagined.

"The titles, the numbers are there, so people probably know that, but the way that I would like to be remembered more is like a good person, from a small village in Mallorca," the Spaniard said.

He added:

"I just want to be remembered as a good person, a kid that followed their dreams and achieved (even) more than what I had dreamed."