Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire after the Davis Cup finals in November, concluding a remarkable career that brought him 22 Grand Slam titles and earned him global respect, as well as igniting iconic rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
In a heartfelt video shared on social media, the 38-year-old Spaniard said, “I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end.”
Nadal is set to end his two-decade-long career with an impressive 92 titles and over $135 million in prize money, firmly securing his place as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He has been included alongside Carlos Alcaraz in the Spain team as he aims for a fifth Davis Cup triumph in Malaga next month.
“I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined,” Nadal stated. “But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle,” he added, recalling his first Davis Cup win as a teenager in 2004.
Nadal dominated the French Open, winning 14 of his major titles there, with his first coming just days after his 19th birthday in 2005. His last French Open victory in 2022 briefly made him the oldest champion of the tournament before that record was surpassed by Djokovic the following year. He lost only four times in 116 matches at Roland Garros.
In addition to his French Open success, Nadal is a four-time champion at the US Open and a two-time winner at the Australian Open, with his first title in 2009 and his second 13 years later. He also won Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010, despite grass being a surface that exposed some weaknesses in his game. His five-set victory over Federer in the 2008 championship match, which concluded in near darkness at the All England Club, is widely regarded as one of the greatest finals in tennis history.
Nadal achieved a career Golden Slam by winning Olympic gold in 2008. He was a five-time year-end world number one, never leaving the top 10 from 2005 until March last year. He spent a total of 209 weeks at the top of the rankings and won at least one title every year between 2004 and 2022.
Throughout his long rivalry with close friend Federer, who retired two years ago, Nadal enjoyed a 24-16 edge in their encounters. He surpassed Federer’s record of 20 major titles by clinching his 21st in Australia in 2022. He and Djokovic have met 60 times, with the Serbian leading by two in their head-to-head.
Despite his record-breaking career, Nadal has been plagued by injuries, a painful consequence of his aggressive playing style. He missed 18 Grand Slam tournaments due to various injuries, including ankle, wrist, knee, elbow, and abdominal problems. In 2022, he admitted that his title run would have been impossible without daily pain-killing injections in his foot, following a medical procedure to burn nerves in his foot to extend his career.
His body has faced increasing challenges; an abdominal strain forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon after reaching the semifinals, and a hip injury at the Australian Open led to his earliest exit in seven years. His wife, Mery, was in tears as she witnessed him struggle through to the end of that match.
Nadal may have sensed that the end was near during the 2022 Laver Cup in London, when he played alongside Federer in the Swiss star’s final tournament. Federer, unable to shake off a knee injury, retired at 41. The two men shared an emotional farewell, grasping each other’s hands as the Federer era came to a close.
Federer paid tribute to Nadal, saying, “What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honor!” Their rivalry began in March 2004 in Miami when Nadal was just 17 and ranked 34, while Federer was the world number one.
World number one Jannik Sinner called Nadal’s retirement announcement “tough news for the tennis world.” Sinner remarked, “He’s an unbelievable person. He taught us young players how to behave on the court and to stay humble at the same time, not changing with his success.”
As Nadal prepares to close this chapter, he leaves behind a legacy that has inspired countless players and fans around the world, embodying both incredible athleticism and profound humility.
