Rafael Nadal will retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals next month.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” Nadal said in a video posted on his social media, alluding to injuries that sidelined him for most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. “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. 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, 38, will play his final match(es) at the Davis Cup Finals in Málaga, Spain, from Nov. 19-24.
Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam singles titles rank second in men’s history behind longtime rival Novak Djokovic’s 24.
Beginning in 2005, Nadal won the French Open on 14 occasions, a record number of singles titles for a man or woman at any Grand Slam.
For most of the next two decades, his career was intertwined with Djokovic and 21-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. No other man won more than 14 Slams.
Nadal and Djokovic played 60 times, a record in men’s professional tennis, with Djokovic holding a 31-29 edge. Djokovic posted Thursday that he will attend the Davis Cup Finals for Nadal’s farewell, even though Serbia did not qualify for the event.
“Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever,” was posted on Djokovic’s social media. “Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player.”
Nadal was 24-16 against Federer, including a five-set win in the 2008 Wimbledon final, widely considered the best men’s tennis match in history.
Federer shared a series of images of him with Nadal on his Instagram story after Nadal’s announcement.
In a seven-month span in 2008 and 2009, Nadal won his first Wimbledon, first Australian Open and first Olympic gold. Then in 2010, he won the first of his four U.S. Open titles to complete a career Golden Slam.
Nadal has played just nine total tournaments since the start of 2023 due to injuries, namely a left hip problem that required surgery in June 2023.
His last Grand Slam match was a first-round loss to Alexander Zverev at the French Open on May 27.
His most recent tournament was the Paris Olympics, where he lost to Djokovic in the second round of singles and reached the quarterfinals in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
The Davis Cup Finals are a fitting end for Nadal’s career. Twenty years ago, before he had won any Slams, Nadal helped Spain to a Davis Cup title in Seville.
“I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience,” Nadal said. “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 to all and see you soon.”
Mil gracias a todos
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024
Many thanks to all
Merci beaucoup à tous
Grazie mille à tutti
谢谢大家
شكرا لكم جميعا
תודה לכולכם
Obrigado a todos
Vielen Dank euch allen
Tack alla
Хвала свима
Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi
