One of the greatest tennis players of all time, Rafael Nadal, announced his retirement from professional tennis today. The 38-year-old took to social media to announce the decision and said that the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month will be his last professional outing.
Nadal signs off with 22 Grand Slams—two behind Serbian sensation Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard ruled the clay court, winning the French Open 14 times.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitation,” Nadal said.
He was forced to miss Grand Slam tournaments in 2023 and 2024, owing to his injuries. Nadal also has a rare degenerative condition called Mueller-Weiss syndrome, which affects the bones in the feet.
In the video, he mentions that he took a lot of time to make such a difficult decision, but acknowledges that everything eventually comes to an end.
“In this life, everything has a beginning and an end. I think it is an appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”
"I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way.”
