Rafael Nadal’s legacy is a relentlessness that inspired Carlos Alcaraz and plenty of others

AP Tennis Writer

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Rafael Nadal’s retirement from tennis serves as a reminder that for all of his Grand Slam titles and other successes, his greatest legacy might be the qualities that inspired Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek and other younger players. Nadal couldn’t take a step around the grounds of the Davis Cup Final 8 in recent days without hearing requests for a handshake or a selfie from other athletes. He is walking away at age 38 after a litany of injuries. Nadal lost the last match of his career on Tuesday while Spain was eliminated by the Netherlands in the team competition’s quarterfinals.