Rafael Nadal triumphantly returned to the public eye after his retirement last November. On Tuesday, February 11, the Spanish Olympic Committee (Comité Olímpico Español) hosted a tribute event in Madrid to honor the tennis legend’s unparalleled achievements.
The Spaniard, who has been away from the limelight following his retirement in November 2024, was presented with the prestigious ‘Corazón de España’ (Heart of Spain) award by Spanish NOC President Alejandro Blanco.
The ceremony highlighted Nadal’s immense contribution to sports and his legacy as one of the greatest athletes. Among the many accolades, the 38-year-old received a signed canvas photo commemorating his Rio 2016 gold medal triumph.
Adriana Cerezo, a 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist in Taekwondo, was among the athletes present at the event. Her excitement was palpable as she met the athlete she had long admired. Cerezo shared her joy on Instagram, posting a selfie with the tennis legend and captioning it:
Super special day yesterday at @coe_es with @rafaelnadal. Super grateful to be able to listen and learn from the best athlete in history.”
The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion reshared her story, and expressed his gratitude, writing:
“Thank you very much for coming and for your words.
