Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and other high-profile names from the world of tennis came out in support of the injury-stricken Lindsey Vonn after the iconic American alpine ski racer shared a positive update following her nightmarish outing at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Vonn headed to Milano Cortina despite rupturing her left knee ACL just days before and sustained a severe tibia fracture in the same leg in Italy.
The 41-year-old’s 2026 Winter Olympics accident happened just 13 seconds into her run. The American’s right arm accidentally hooked a gate, and this resulted in a high-speed crash that sent her tumbling at an approximate speed of 70 miles per hour. Subsequently, she received treatment on the course before being airlifted. Later, she confirmed a complex tibia fracture that would need multiple surgeries to fix.
On Wednesday, February 11, after undergoing the surgeries, the 2010 Winter Olympics downhill gold medalist took to her Instagram and shared a post. It featured a picture of her with her right thumb up, indicating the success of the surgical procedures. The post’s written caption read:
“I had my 3rd surgery today and it was successful. Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago. I’m making progress and while it is slow, I know I’ll be ok. Thankful for all of the incredible medical staff, friends, family, who have been by my side and the beautiful outpouring of love and support from people around the world. Also, huge congrats to my teammates and all of the Team USA athletes who are out there inspiring me and giving me something to cheer for. ❤️🤍💙”
Subsequently, past and present tennis greats such as Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Fabio Fognini and Sloane Stephens showed their support for Vonn via their respective comments. While most of the comments consisted of positive emojis, two-time Major champion Gauff wrote:
“🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️ champ forever!”
Former World No. 1 and four-time Slam winner Osaka added:
“Sending you love ❤️”
Rafael Nadal Lauded Lindsey Vonn After American Alpine Ski Racer’s Horror Winter Olympics Crash
Nadal, a former World No. 1 in men’s singles tennis and a 22-time Major champion during his playing days, sent an emphatic message of encouragement to Vonn in the aftermath of her horrific crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, the Spanish tennis legend wrote:
“💪🏼 @lindseyvonn , you are a great inspiration and an example of perseverance. Stay strong and get well soon! 😘”
It remains to be seen if Vonn makes a comeback in competitive ski racing following the serious injury she sustained Milano Cortina.
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