One of the greats of men’s tennis, Manuel ‘Manolo’ Santana has passed away aged 83 in Marbella.

Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver, Novak Djokovic, Billie Jean King, Guillermo Vilas and many more from the world of tennis and beyond have paid tribute to the four-time Grand Slam singles champion.

Rafael Nadal, the King of Spain and the Spanish Prime Minister have led the tributes to Spanish tennis great Manuel ‘Manolo’ Santana who died aged 83 on Saturday.

Santana won Wimbledon (1966), two French Opens (1961, 1964) and a US Open (1965). He became a national hero after leading Spain to Davis Cup glory in 1965 and won a gold medal in the singles of the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. After retiring in 1980 Santana was a trainer, tournament promoter and senior circuit player.
Santana, who had been tournament director of the Madrid Open up until 2019 before he became an ATP honorary president, had been suffering with Parkinson’s disease.

Compatriot Nadal led the tributes to a Spanish sporting icon.
“As I have said many times in the past, a thousand thank yous for what you did for our country and for marking the way for so many,” the 20-time Grand Slam champion wrote on Twitter.
“You were always a benchmark, a friend and a person close to all of us. We will miss you Manolo. You were always unique and special.
“A hug to your family and a lot of strength at this time. We will never forget you.”
Felipe VI, King of Spain, posted on Twitter: “There are people who become legends and make a country great. Manolo Santana was and will always be one of them.”

Spanish PM Sanchez tweeted: ‘He won Roland Garros, the US Open and Wimbledon, 72 tournaments in total and an Olympic gold that turned him into a tennis legend and one of the best sportsmen in our country.
“My sincere condolences to Manolo Santana’s family, his loved ones and the world of tennis.”

 

 

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