Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis, revealing that the upcoming Davis Cup final in November will mark the end of his illustrious career.
In a heartfelt message shared on social media, Nadal expressed his gratitude to fans and reflected on the challenges he has faced in recent years.
“Many thanks to all,” he wrote in a post. “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, who will conclude his career at the Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain, leaves behind a remarkable legacy that includes 22 Grand Slam titles—14 of which were won at the French Open—alongside an Olympic gold medal in singles. The 38-year-old Spaniard ends his two-decade professional journey with a total of 92 titles and approximately $135 million in prize money.
Renowned for his consistency, Nadal was a five-time year-end world number one and maintained his position within the top 10 from 2005 until March of this year. He spent an impressive 209 weeks at the top and achieved the remarkable feat of winning at least one title every year from 2004 to 2022.
In recent years, Nadal's career has been significantly affected by injuries, which forced him to miss the 2023 French Open and led to an early exit in the first round of this year’s tournament against German Alexander Zverev. His struggles with ankle, wrist, knee, elbow, and abdominal injuries resulted in 16 missed Grand Slam tournaments and five mid-event withdrawals.
Notably, Nadal has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he faced his long-time rival Novak Djokovic in the second round of singles and reached the quarterfinals in men’s doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. His last victory at Roland Garros came in 2022, leaving him with a staggering 112-4 win-loss record on the Paris clay.
The Davis Cup knockout phase will take place from November 19 to 24, and Nadal's final appearance is highly anticipated by fans and fellow athletes alike as he bids farewell to a storied career that has left an indelible mark on the sport.