Rafael Nadal announces his retirement from tennis

On Thursday morning, legendary tennis player and 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal announced his retirement, confirming the news via a video message posted to his social media accounts. The 38-year-old said he would make his final appearance representing Spain in next month’s Davis Cup final in Malaga. The message resolved widespread speculation that the 2024 season would be the last, following a series of injuries in recent years.

“The reality is that it has been a difficult few years, especially these last two,” Nadal said in the statement. “I don’t think I was able to play without limitations. It’s obviously a difficult decision, one that took me some time to make. But in this life everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it is an appropriate time to end a career that has been long and far more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Regularly nicknamed the “King of Clay” thanks to his record 14 French Open singles titles, Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam victories make him the second most decorated player in men’s tennis history, after his long-time rival Novak Djokovic. Representing Spain, Nadal also won two Olympic gold medals and led his country to four Davis Cup titles. Elsewhere, Nadal has been celebrated for his philanthropic work, including his foundation and tennis academy based in his hometown of Manacor on the island of Mallorca. His eye for style has also seen him serve as the face of brands such as Lanvin, Richard Mille and Armani and, in 2022, he launched his first series of fragrances in partnership with French perfume house Henry Jacques.

In recent years, Nadal has been open about his struggles with numerous injuries, despite recovering from a foot injury in 2022 to secure a stunning Australian Open victory over Daniil Medvedev, making him the second-ranked man in the Open Era. after Djokovic, to complete a career Grand Slam double. Last year, in an interview with Spanish channel Movistar, he hinted that the 2024 season could be the last.

Nadal’s final Davis Cup match in November, in which he is expected to play alongside rising star Carlos Alcaraz, will certainly be exciting – and will close the chapter on one of the most remarkable careers in tennis history.