Rafael Nadal Announces Retirement Post Davis Cup Final

Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire following the Davis Cup finals in November, concluding a career that has earned him 22 Grand Slam titles, worldwide respect, and has inspired legendary rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

“I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” Nadal said in a video on social media.

“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.”

The 38-year-old Spaniard is poised to conclude his two-decade professional career with a total of 92 titles and prize money amounting to $135 million.

He ruled the French Open, securing 14 of his Grand Slam titles there, with his first victory coming shortly after his 19th birthday in 2005, and his last in 2022, making him the oldest winner of the tournament.

On Roland Garros’ iconic clay courts, he suffered only three defeats out of 115 matches.

Additionally, he claimed the US Open title four times and won the Australian Open twice, with his first victory in 2009 and his second 13 years later.

Although Nadal had a record-setting career, he was frequently hindered by injuries, an unfortunate consequence of his aggressive, power-driven playing style.

– Troubled by frequent injuries –

Issues with his ankle, wrist, knee, elbow, and abdomen led him to miss 16 Grand Slam tournaments and withdraw mid-competition five times at major events.

During the 2022 French Open, he confessed that his pursuit of the title was only made possible by receiving daily pain-killing injections in his foot.

Nadal later had a medical procedure in which nerves in his foot were cauterized to prolong his career.

Still, his body was showing increasing signs of wear and tear.

A stomach strain caused him to withdraw from Wimbledon after reaching the semi-finals.

Later, a hip injury sidelined him at the Australian Open in January, where he was knocked out in the second round — his earliest major tournament exit in seven years.

His wife, Mery, was in tears as she witnessed his struggle to finish.

Nadal might have sensed the end was near at the Laver Cup in London two years ago when he played alongside Federer in the Swiss legend’s final event.

At 41, and unable to recover from a knee injury, Federer decided to retire.

Both men cried and even held hands as the Federer era came to a close.

“When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving too,” said Nadal.

AFP