Legacy – a term recently dismissed by Mike Tyson in an interview that has since gone viral – can be a difficult thing to quantify, especially when it comes to discussing the greats.
As Rafael Nadal bids farewell to professional tennis, his lasting impact on the sport, and beyond, is undeniable.
Since he exploded onto the scene two decades ago, young kids across the world put on capri pants and sleeveless shirts and vamos’ed their way to the nearest tennis court. Grown-ups watching him felt the urge to fight a little bit harder to get through a tough day.
Pro athletes envied his grit, his physique, his mentality, his ability to accept the things that are out of his control, and the class and humility he exuded through it all.
As tributes pour in for the one-of-a-kind champion, the ones that stand out are mostly from his peers.
Serena Williams thanked him for inspiring her “to be better, to play harder, to fight, to never give up, and to win more. No excuses just play the sport,” wrote the American.
Maria Sharapova said she has “so much respect for your grit, your love of the ‘fight’, and the pure class with which you showed up, even on a tough day.”
Roger Federer admitted Nadal forced him to reimagine his game so he could find ways to beat him. “You made me enjoy the game even more,” wrote the Swiss.
Marin Cilic marvelled at how the Spaniard carried himself. “Your virtues are the ones to be desired in any athlete,” he added. Lleyton Hewitt said Nadal, as a competitor, was “second to none”.
Ben Shelton echoed the Aussie’s sentiments, saying: “He's one of those guys you never think is out of it, one of those almost perfect competitors.” Taylor Fritz grew up watching Nadal and described him as “the perfect role model for younger tennis players”.
The list goes on and on.
Tyson said he doesn’t believe in the word ‘legacy’. “I just think that’s another word for ego. Legacy doesn’t mean nothing,” said the boxing legend. “It means absolutely nothing to me. I’m just passing through. I’m going to die and it’s going to be over. Who cares about legacy after that?”
As the world comes to terms with Nadal’s retirement following his Davis Cup defeat to the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp on Tuesday, it’s impossible not to believe in his legacy. It’s vast, palpable, and for each one of us, it can be very personal.
I started watching Nadal on TV with my father when the Spaniard was just a teenager. We bonded over his tenacity, unique style, forehand topspin, and ability to pull off impossible comebacks.
When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, watching Nadal with him became my favourite activity. I could ignore all the ways his brain was changing, and just enjoy our common love for the sport and our admiration for its fiercest competitor.
With time, my father started to forget all the intricacies of the tennis scoring system (something he had taught me himself when I was young) and repeatedly asked me to explain it to him during matches – a development that was hard for me to accept, except when I was watching the master of acceptance.
He started forgetting the meaning of terms like ‘deuce’ and ‘tiebreak’, but bizarrely never forgot the name ‘Nadal’. He stopped understanding what I did for a living, but for a long time remembered it had something to do with tennis, and the first question he always asked me was: “Did Nadal win?”
He was forgetting so much vocabulary, which made it hard for him to form sentences, but the name 'Nadal' was somehow still tucked away in some miraculously accessible part of his mind.
We had an annual tradition for a few years, which was to attend the Mubadala World Tennis Championship around Christmas time in Abu Dhabi. My parents would make the trip from Cairo and we’d all go to the tennis together. I’d sneak away from the press seats and go sit next to my dad to watch Nadal, who never missed that exhibition tournament in the years my father was there.
My dad couldn’t be happier.
After the matches, I’d tell him I have to run to the press conference room to speak to Nadal and he always said the same thing: “Tell him I said hi.” I’d explain to my dad that’s not something a journalist should do, but he kept asking me to do it anyway. I’m a little sad I never did.
My father passed away 13 months ago, and in his last few years, he wasn’t able to communicate much. We'd watch the occasional tennis match – just a few games – months and months apart, and all I wanted was for him to ask me about Nadal.
Instead, it was my mum who was the one asking. And my sisters. And everyone close to me. What started as a bonding experience for two, mushroomed into a community of appreciation for a sporting legend.
In Cairo, you are either an Ahly family, or a Zamalek family. The Abulleil household is a Nadal family.
When I think about the Spaniard’s legacy, I think about the joy he brought to my father, our family, and the many other families across the globe.
In my book, that doesn’t mean nothing. It’s everything.
Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Company%20Profile
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The biog
Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly
Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo
Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.
Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,
She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (rated 72-87) Dh 165,000 1,600m.
Winner: Syncopation, George Buckell, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Big Brown Bear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,200m.
Winner: Stunned, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap (85-105) Dh 210,000 2,000m.
Winner: New Trails, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
9.25pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,600m.
Winner: Pillar Of Society, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
