Rafael Nadal announces retirement after 22 Grand Slam titles

RAFAEL Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the season, marking the conclusion of a tennis career that spanned two decades and brought him 22 Grand Slam titles. Nadal, known for his fierce rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, said he had "come full circle" and was ready to step away from the sport.

"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 posted 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."

Mil gracias a todos

Many thanks to all

Merci beaucoup à tous

Grazie mille à tutti

谢谢大家

شكرا لكم جميعا

תודה לכולכם

Obrigado a todos

Vielen Dank euch allen

Tack alla

Хвала свима

Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024

The 38-year-old Spaniard will conclude his professional career with 92 titles and over £103.05 million in prize money, cementing his place as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion and longtime rival, paid tribute to Nadal. "What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," Federer said. "Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honour!"

Djokovic, who holds a men's record of 24 Grand Slam titles, also praised Nadal's legacy. "Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades," said Djokovic.

Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit… pic.twitter.com/HO9kUkyccN

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 10, 2024

Nadal’s decision comes after a difficult season plagued by injuries. Limited to just four matches in 2023, Nadal returned to the court after a year-long absence in January but was forced to miss the Australian Open due to a muscle tear. His comeback in Barcelona in April saw him reach his first final in two years on the clay of Bastad in July. However, his Grand Slam career ended at the French Open, where he was defeated in the first round by Alexander Zverev. Later, at the Olympics, Nadal was eliminated by Djokovic on the same court at Philippe Chatrier in Paris.

Nadal's last appearance was at the Paris Games in a doubles match alongside Carlos Alcaraz, where they lost in the quarter-finals. Alcaraz, the current world number one, expressed his admiration for Nadal, calling him a role model. "Thank you so much for being an example on every level, your legacy is incomparable," Alcaraz wrote on social media.

Looking ahead to his final appearance, Nadal will represent Spain next month in Malaga as he competes in the Davis Cup for the last time. He will team up again with Alcaraz, aiming to end his career with a sixth Davis Cup triumph for Spain. "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," Nadal said. "But 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."

Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of Roland Garros, where he claimed 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, will be remembered as one of the most extraordinary feats in tennis history. He won his first French Open title in 2005, just days after his 19th birthday, and his last in 2022, briefly becoming the event's oldest champion before Djokovic surpassed the record. On the famous clay courts of Roland Garros, Nadal lost only five times in 118 matches across the French Open and Olympic tournaments.

In addition to his success at Roland Garros, Nadal was a four-time champion at the US Open and a two-time winner of the Australian Open, first in 2009 and again in 2022. He also triumphed at Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010. His victory over Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final, a five-set match that ended in near-total darkness, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Grand Slam finals ever played.

Nadal's remarkable achievements also include an Olympic gold medal, which he won in 2008, completing a career Golden Slam. He finished five seasons as the year-end world number one and spent a total of 209 weeks in the top spot. From 2004 to 2022, he won at least one title every year, further underscoring his consistency and dominance in the sport.

In his long-standing rivalry with Federer, who retired two years ago, Nadal held a 24-16 advantage in their head-to-head meetings. Nadal also surpassed Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles when he won the Australian Open in 2022. Against Djokovic, who Nadal faced 60 times, the Spaniard trails the Serbian by two wins.

Despite his many accomplishments, Nadal’s career was often disrupted by injuries. Ankle, wrist, knee, elbow, and abdominal issues forced him to sit out 18 Grand Slam tournaments and withdraw from five others mid-event. In recent years, he struggled with Muller-Weiss syndrome, a rare and degenerative foot condition. At the 2022 French Open, Nadal revealed that he relied on daily pain-killing injections to complete his title run. His 2022 season was further impacted by an abdominal strain, which caused him to withdraw from Wimbledon after reaching the semi-finals.

Nadal's body showed further signs of wear and tear at the 2023 Australian Open, where a hip injury led to his second-round exit. Reflecting on his career, Nadal hinted that the end might be near when he played alongside Federer at the 2022 Laver Cup in London, marking Federer’s final tournament. The emotional moment saw both men in tears, holding hands as the Swiss great bid farewell to the sport.

Nadal’s career was characterised by his relentless effort and perseverance, qualities that earned him admiration far beyond the tennis world. "Effort, courage, constancy, perseverance are values that society does not take for granted, and he is a clear exponent of these values," said Domingo Bonnin, a 60-year-old fisherman from Nadal's home island of Mallorca.

(With inputs from AFP)