Spanish badminton legend Carolina Marín recently hung up her racket after competing for over 15 years. In light of her retirement, fellow Spanish athletes, including Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, and Paula Badosa, expressed their admiration, support, and best wishes for her next chapter.
How Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Paula Badosa Reacted to Carolina Marín’s Retirement
Marín is often regarded as one of the greatest female badminton players in the world. She won a gold medal in singles at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and is a three-time world champion and an eight-time European champion. She also held the world No. 1 ranking in women’s singles.
The 32-year-old has secured every European Championship title since 2014 and has been honored with the Princess of Asturias Award for her contributions to sports, along with numerous other accolades.
Recently, Marín announced her retirement from professional badminton on social media. In response, Nadal shared her post and congratulated her on her “spectacular career.” He praised her “fight,” “talent,” and the remarkable achievements she brought to Spain.
“Congratulations on a spectacular career! Congratulations on your fight, your talent, your overcoming, and for achieving feats that seemed impossible in Spain just a few years ago. Enjoy your new stage!” Nadal posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
¡Enhorabuena por una carrera espectacular! Felicidades por tu lucha, tu talento, tu superación y por lograr hazañas que hace años parecían imposibles en España. ¡Disfruta de tu nueva etapa! https://t.co/eLBANA6NbM
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 26, 2026
Alcaraz referred to Marín as a “blessing” for Spain and wished her well in her retirement.
“Congratulations on your career, @carolinamarin! You’re a true example of overcoming adversity, and a blessing for our country!” Alcaraz captioned his Instagram story (translated from Spanish).
Badosa highlighted Marín’s resilience, noting how she overcame struggles and consistently pushed past her limits.
“Your struggle, your character, and your way of getting back up time and time again have been inspiring. Thank you for teaching us that limits are meant to be overcome and that true greatness lies in never giving up. I wish you all the best in this new chapter, @carolinamarin,” Badosa wrote.
On the tennis side of things, Alcaraz and Badosa recently concluded their runs on the North American hard-court swing after competing at the 2026 Miami Open. The World No. 1, who was the top seed at the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Florida, defeated João Fonseca in his opening match before losing to Sebastian Korda in the third round.
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Meanwhile, Badosa won her first round against Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the Miami Open but was eliminated by 18th seed Iva Jovic in the second round.
On the other hand, Nadal, who turned professional in 2001, has won 92 ATP Tour singles titles, including 22 Grand Slam singles titles. He has been ranked No. 1 in the ATP world rankings and has secured two Olympic medals for his country. Nadal retired from professional tennis in November 2024 after representing Spain in the Davis Cup Finals.
