The 38-year-old tennis icon has been injured during the final stages of his career, but played doubles with compatriot Carlos Alcaraz during last summer’s Olympics in Paris.
Now the career ends – but the plan is that this will only happen after the Davis Cup finals, which take place between November 19 and 24 in Málaga. Spain is there in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands.
In a video on X, Nadal says the following about the decision:
In life, everything has a beginning and an end.
– The truth is that there have been some difficult years, especially the last two. I don’t feel like I’ve been able to play without restrictions.
– It is obviously a difficult decision, which took me time to arrive at. But in life everything has a beginning and an end, and I feel this is the right time to end a career that has been long and so much more successful than I could have ever imagined.
Rafael Nadal has long, along with players like Swiss Roger Federer and Serbian Novak Djokovic, dominated tennis. The Spaniard has a total of 92 ATP titles to his credit.
Two of tennis’ giants in the 21st century: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Photo: Lionel Cironneau/AP
– I feel so lucky for all the things I have been able to experience, he states.
The 38-year-old missed almost all of 2023 due to hip problems. This year, the Spaniard has only been in one of four grand slam tournaments, and then (in the French Championships) it was an exit in the first round.
So Nadal’s plan is to complete his career in just over a month, in Spain in particular.
– I am very much looking forward to my last tournament being the Davis Cup, and to being able to represent my country, he says. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
– It feels like the circle is closing, because one of my first big moments as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004 (where a teenage Nadal defeated the American Andy Roddick).
An 18-year-old Rafael Nadal celebrates the Davis Cup title, in December 2004. Photo: Jasper Juinen/AP
Facts.Rafael Nadal
Born: 3 June 1986 (age 38), in Manacor.
Became a professional: 2001.
Grand slam-facit: 14 titles in the French Championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022), four titles in the US Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2018). 9), two titles at Wimbledon (2008, 2010) and two titles at the Australian Open (2009, 2010).
Total ATP titles: 92, of which 63 on gravel.
Current: Announced on Thursday that he is ending his career.
(TT).
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