Rafael Nadal announces his retirement from professional tennis

Rafael Nadal will retire after Spain's Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November; The 38-year-old won 22 Grand Slams, including 14 French Open titles; Watch all the ATP and WTA action on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+

Friday 11 October 2024 06:06, UK

Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis.

His last event will be the Davis Cup next month in Malaga, wearing Spanish colours.

The 38-year-old Spaniard, who won 22 Grand Slam titles including 14 at the French Open, announced the news in a video message posted on X.

He said: "Hello everyone. I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis."

Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010 added: "The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don't think I have been able to play without limitations.

"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. And 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's career has been hampered by injuries; he missed the 2023 French Open and was beaten in the first round by German Alexander Zverev this year.

He won his last Roland Garros title in 2022 and left the tournament on a jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record.

Nadal's successes came during an extraordinary period when he, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and, for a while, Andy Murray, dominated the sport.

He was visibly emotional when Federer, whom he played against 40 times, retired at the Laver Cup in 2022.

"I feel super lucky for all the things I have been able to experience," he added.

"I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals.

"I have spent many hours with them and have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life."

Nadal added he was "very excited" to finish his career at the Davis Cup.

A teenage Nadal was part of the Spain team which defeated the USA to win the trophy on home soil 20 years ago.

"I think it is the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined," he said.

"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 since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup Final in Seville in 2004."

Nadal went on to thank his team and his fans, before adding: "I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way,

"I can only end by saying a thousand thanks, and see you soon."

The Spaniard has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to old rival Djokovic in the second round of the singles tournament and reached the quarter-finals of the men's doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.

Federer was quick to pay a warm tribute to his friend and great rival.

"What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam winner wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honour."

Former Real Madrid - the team Nadal supports - and Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo wrote: "Rafa, what an incredible race you've had!

"Your dedication, passion and incredible talent have inspired millions around the world. It has been an honour to witness your journey and to be able to call you a friend. Congrats on an amazing career! Enjoy your retirement!"

Argentine World Cup winner Lionel Messi posted a video on Instagram, saying: "I would also like to say that you are an example to everyone because of your hard work, your perseverance and for being at the highest level for so many years. I wanted to send you warm regards. See you!"

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, wrote on X: "Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that's probably the greatest achievement anyone can wish for.

"Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever. Only you know what you had to endure to become an icon of tennis and sport in general."

Current world No 1 Jannik Sinner, speaking at the Shanghai Masters, said: "Well, it's tough news for all the tennis world, and not only the tennis world.

"I was very lucky to get to know him and he's an unbelievable person. Of course we all saw how good he has been as a player, and the lessons he taught us, the young players, how to behave on the court, how to handle situations on the court, tough situations. And also to stay humble."

Carlos Alcaraz, who paired up with Nadal at the Olympics and will play alongside him for Spain, added: "It was tough to accept it. I was in shock a little bit.

"It is a really difficult thing, really difficult news for everybody, and even tougher for me. He has been my idol since I started playing tennis. I look up to him.

"Losing him, in a certain way, is going to be difficult for us, so I will try to enjoy as much as I can when he's going to play."

British No 1 Katie Boulter joked: "Nope, I/we refuse this application to withdraw."

Nadal's mentally the best

Former Spanish tennis player and Sky Sports pundit, Feliciano Lopez:

"I think his mindset, I would say he's the strongest player mentally I've ever seen and not only myself, I don't think we've ever seen anyone in sport generally. His resilience, his ability to overcome every difficult situation he's faced throughout his career, and his intensity on the court from the first point until the last. There are so many things that made Rafa mentally the strongest player ever.

"He's been one of the best players in history."

Nadal's French Open record absolute madness

Sky Sports tennis commentator, Jonathan Overend:

"To win 14 times at the same Grand Slam tennis tournament, many careers don't get anywhere near 14 years and he's won the thing that many times - absolute madness. The longevity of the guy in the greatest era and that's what makes Djokovic as the last man standing out of this elite band.

"These numbers will never be repeated on the clay, particularly at Roland Garros. Anyone who saw that beast of a man up close, sometimes in those sleeveless shirts, displaying the guns, bringing out all those shots, recovering from ridiculous positions in the court to beat the other greatest players of all time, it was such a privilege to watch his career."

Nadal in numbers

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are the only three players in the Open Era to have played and won over 300 men's singles matches at Grand Slam events. Nadal holds a career win-loss record of 314-44 at Grand Slams.

Nadal is the only player to have won at least one men's singles Grand Slam title in 15 seasons, with Novak Djokovic the next best, with 13 seasons.

Nadal is the only player in the Open Era to win one or more men's singles Grand Slam titles in 10 consecutive seasons (between 2005 and 2014).

Nadal has won the most Grand Slam titles without dropping a set, achieving this feat four times at Roland Garros in 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2020.

Nadal has won 39 consecutive matches at French Open only Bjorn Borg in Wimbledon (41) and Roger Federer at the US Open and in Wimbledon (40 in each tournament) have won more consecutive matches in a single Grand Slam tournament in the Open Era.

Nadal won 63 titles on clay court over the course of his career, more than any other player in the Open Era on the surface.

His win percentage of 90.5% (484-51) on clay is the best of any player on any individual surface in the Open Era.

Nadal won 81 consecutive matches on clay between 2005 and 2007 - the most by a player on a single surface in the Open Era.

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