Luis Figo has been a regular attendee at this week’s Madrid Open, taking in one of the strangest tournaments we have witnessed in recent years.

After all, Felix Auger Aliassime, who is due to play in today’s showpiece final, has even detailed the ‘crazy’ injury issues plaguing many of the competitors.

Regardless, it has remained a spectacle for the supporters, with Rafael Nadal enjoying his final appearance at the legendary event.

Figo, when quizzed about the Spaniard, gave an unsurprisingly glowing eulogy.

Luis Figo delivers assessment on Rafael Nadal

Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, dragged from the stands as the most notable supporter around, the former Real Madrid and Barcelona superstar was quizzed about his favourite tennis stars.

And whilst he garnered a few questionable looks for admitting he preferred playing padel tennis over the real thing, few could argue with his assessment of Nadal’s current form and career.

After all, the legendary former footballer was effusive in his praise for the Spaniard, noting: ’Rafa is a friend too.

‘He’s a reference in sport for everybody. I think what he did for the sport in general, for tennis, during all his career and what he is still doing is amazing so we are all very sad for this moment but everyone wants to be eternal and in sports it’s impossible. But I think he has to be very proud of his career.’

Sporting legends recognise greatness

It feels like, no matter the sport, legendary figures seem to boast a mutual respect that transcends football or tennis or whatever it may be.

And in Figo and Nadal, these are two exceptional sportsmen who have starred at the very apex of their respective fields for over a decade.

The Portuguese winger featured for some of Europe’s most glittering football clubs, and whilst his acrimonious switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid was hardly the most well-received transfer in football history, it did allow him to finish his career having won the Spanish league four times as well as the Champions League, before later going on to dominate Italian football with Inter Milan too.

Figo would even win the prestigious Ballon d’Or too, being named as the best footballer in the world for 2000.

Inexplicably, Nadal had not even gone professional in tennis at that time, but it would not take long for him to rise up the rankings in a similar way that Figo did.

Regardless of what these elite sportsmen play, whether it be American football, Basketball, tennis or football, there is an unspoken respect amongst those who have dedicated their lives to such athletic perfection.

So, to see Figo turning out to watch Nadal should come as no surprise. During this farewell leg of his career, this is unlikely to be the last big name turning up to catch a glimpse of the 37-year-old in action.

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