Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal Mourns Kobe Bryant’s Death; ATP, WTA Players Give Tribute

KEY POINTS

Kobe Bryant has been a fan of tennis ever since retiring from the NBA
Tennis stars mourn the sudden death of Kobe Bryant
Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal tweeted their condolences

Kobe Bryant’s influence went beyond the basketball court. The Black Mamba’s thirst for greatness carried over to other sports. Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality has propelled numerous athletes to emulate this mindset to their own respective competitions.

The news of his passing shocked the world and among these were his fellow athletes on the tennis court. Kobe Bryant has been a follower of tennis and has been spotted watching tennis events live – with the 2019 US Open as one of the more recent ones.

He’s had various interactions with the tennis community and his sudden death has left everyone heartbroken. 19-time Grand Slam winner and World Number 1 Rafael Nadal were among them. The Spaniard tweeted that Kobe was one of the greatest sportsmen in the world. He offered his condolences as he was shocked by the horrifying news.

I woke up this morning with the horrible news of the tragic death of one of the greatest sportsman in the world. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and other passengers. My condolences to his wife and families. I am in shock.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 27, 2020

Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova also shared her disbelief in what happened. Maria Sharapova and Kobe Bryant had some time to interact with each other before when they were both endorsing the Nike brand. “ I will never forget your generosity, and the time you set aside in some of my most difficult moments,” she tweeted.

Kobe and Gigi💔 This is incredibly difficult to process. I will never forget your generosity, and the time you set aside in some of my most difficult moments. I am forever grateful. My heart is with you and your beautiful family. pic.twitter.com/rnGI8o1p5L
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) January 26, 2020

Other members of the ATP and WTA community were also shocked by the news.

Tennis legend Kim Clijsters shared that Kobe Bryant was a true inspiration as an athlete.

Kobe - you were a true inspiration to me as an athlete. I always admired your professionalism, drive and dedication. Our thoughts are with your loved ones. RIP. 💔 pic.twitter.com/q9HLczKKo8
— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) January 26, 2020

The rising star of the WTA tour 15-year-old phenom added that he was the “definition of intensity.”

RIP 🐐. The definition of intensity 🖤🙏🏾 #RIPKobeBryant #24 #8 pic.twitter.com/USdHMWM4D1
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) January 26, 2020

The Swiss star and former World Number 3 shared his disbelief by tweeting an old Instagram post of a selfie they had in a restaurant.

RIP LEGEND ! 🙏🏻💔 #kobebryant https://t.co/rKkUtND5EF
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 26, 2020

Kobe Bryant has had his moments with the tennis community. These moments range from cute interactions with Roger Federer to high praise for the sport, admitting that he's gotten into it after retiring.

Hey @kobebryant, you're already an emoji natural: Ko🐝 Bry🐜
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) July 8, 2015

The Laker legend will forever be known as someone who wants to excel in what he’s doing. He strives for excellence in everything and he isn’t limited to his own sport. His death was a loss not just for the sport of basketball but for the entire world.