After one of the most storied careers in professional tennis, legend of the game Rafael Nadal will retire from the sport at the end of 2024, he announced on Thursday.
“I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” the Spaniard said in a video statement posted online. “The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these two especially. I don't think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that takes me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it's an appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion continued: “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 Sevilla in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I've been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry.”
The 38-year-old has enjoyed an incredible career, headlined by a feat that will likely never be bested: winning 14 French Open titles. The King of Clay will play for Spain against the Netherlands in the Davis Cup in Malaga from November 19-21, his final tennis tournament.
He will soon join tennis greats Roger Federer and Andy Murray, who have also hung up the rackets after incredible careers. Novak Djokovic will soon be the only remaining active player of the ‘Big Four.'
Rafael Nadal has been winning Grand Slams for 2 decades
Nadal turned professional in 2001, and won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros — in his first attempt — in 2005. He would win 13 more of those, along with two Australian Open titles, two Wimbledon championships and four US Open finals.
He established himself not only as one of tennis' greats, but also one of the best and most naturally gifted athletes of all time. Nadal made 30 Grand Slam finals appearances, and won 92 ATP Tour-level singles titles in that span.
“I feel super lucky for all the things I've been able to experience,” Nadal continued. “I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my longtime colleagues, especially my great rivals. I've spent many, many hours with them, and I've lived many moments that I'll remember for the rest of my life.
“Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me, because in the end, my team has been a very important part of my life. They're not just co-workers. They are friends. And finally, you the fans — I can't thank you enough for what you've made me feel. You give me the energy I've needed every moment, really. Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. 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 you all. See you soon.”
Tennis just won't be the same without Rafael Nadal on the court.