Madrid, October 10, 2024 – The Europe Today: Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has announced that he will retire from professional tennis at the age of 38, following next month’s Davis Cup finals in Málaga, Spain. The announcement came via social media on Thursday, where Nadal reflected on his remarkable career and the decision to step away from the sport.
“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal stated. “I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way.”
Nadal, who has claimed 22 Grand Slam singles titles, was a key figure in the historic “Big Three” alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. His decision to retire comes after a series of persistent injury issues that have limited his ability to compete in recent years.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” Nadal explained. “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.”
Nadal’s career will be remembered not only for his immense success but also for his unrelenting, physical style of play that earned him the title of “King of Clay.” His 14 French Open titles stand as the most won by any player, male or female, at a single Grand Slam event. His dominance on the red clay of Roland Garros is immortalized by a statue near Court Philippe Chatrier, the main stadium at the French Open.
Looking ahead to his final tournament, Nadal expressed excitement about ending his career at the Davis Cup, where he will represent Spain one last time. “I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country,” he said. “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 has not competed since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to Djokovic in the second round of singles and reached the quarterfinals of men’s doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz.
“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,” Nadal concluded.
The tennis world will bid farewell to one of its greatest champions at the Davis Cup finals, closing the chapter on an extraordinary career that has spanned nearly two decades.