It’s the end of an era. Rafael Nadal — one of the greatest tennis players of all time – has decided to retire after more than two decades on the professional circuit.
The 38-year-old Spaniard announced the bittersweet news in a video on Instagram, telling his 21.7 million followers that the upcoming Davis Cup will be his last. He captioned the video with “Many thanks to all” in 12 different languages.
“I am retiring from professional tennis,” he began.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, especially these last two. I don’t think I’ve been able to play without limitations.”
Rafa explained that it had been a hard decision and it had taken him a long time to come to this conclusion.
“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,” he continued.
“But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle because one of my first joys as a professional tennis player was the final in Sevilla in 2004.”
The champ went on to express how grateful he was for his years on the court, thanking his family, rivals, team, coaches and fans who helped him along the way.
Following the King of Clay’s announcement, other tennis icons — including his two rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic — have shared tributes to the sporting great.
Federer took to Instagram to share a photo of the pair crying after he announced his own retirement in 2022.
“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” wrote Federer.
“Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour.”
On X (formerly Twitter) Djokovic shared two heartfelt posts, thanking Nadal for his impact on tennis and for “pushing me to the very limit so many times”.
In recent years, Rafa’s career has been strewn with injuries. During the 2023 Australian Open, he sustained a hip injury which saw him skip the French Open and eventually have surgery. In his final two seasons, he only played 23 matches as a result.
During his illustrious career, Rafa won a whopping 22 Grand Slam singles titles and claimed 14 French Open titles. He achieved a gold medal at the Olympics in 2008 and has won the Australian Open twice. What a guy.
Rafa, we’ll miss you on the court.
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