Rafael Nadal announced his imminent retirement from tennis on Thursday at the age of 38, after winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles during an unprecedented era he shared with his rivals in the so-called Big Three, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal has said he will retire after the Davis Cup final next month.
“Really, everything I experienced was a dream that came true,” Nadal said in an announcement on social media. “I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way”
The Spaniard indicated that his decision was related to persistent injury problems.
“The reality is that it has been a difficult few years, especially these last two. 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,” said Nadal.
Nadal's physical, relentless style of play – every point pursued as if it were his last, running and sliding into place for that high-bouncing left-handed forehand – made him one of the game's greats and the unquestioned King of Clay, the surface slow, red course in which he won his record 14 French Open championships.
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That's more than any person, man or woman, wins in any of the sport's four major tournaments, a dominance celebrated by a statue of Nadal that stands near the main entrance to the Roland Garros grounds and in the shadow of its main stadium. Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal also won four trophies at the US Open and two each at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, giving him a career Grand Slam. His latest pairing arrived in 2022, in Melbourne in January and Paris in June, putting him ahead of Federer for the men's record 20 Grand Slam titles. Federer announced his retirement at age 41 at the end of the 2022 season, shortly before signing off by joining Nadal in a doubles match at the Laver Cup.
Since then, both have been surpassed by Djokovic, who is up to 24 years old.
“I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals,” Nadal said over footage of him playing against Federer and Djokovic. “I spent many hours with them and experienced many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Much of Nadal's success has been viewed, fairly or not, through the prism of his encounters with Federer and Djokovic. The tennis world, and many outside of it, were consumed by the debate over who was most deserving of the nickname “GOAT” – “Greatest of All Time”.
The world, tennis or not, was fascinated by their clashes, their different styles and personalities. Who among those who witnessed this could forget Nadal vs. Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final? Or Nadal vs Djokovic in the 2022 French Open quarterfinals? Or Nadal vs. Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open final? And so on.
Nadal added on Thursday that he was excited to end his career at the Davis Cup, which will be played in Malaga, Spain.
“I am very excited because my last tournament will be the Davis Cup final and I will represent my country,” he said. “I think I've come full circle since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”
Nadal has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to old rival Djokovic in the second round of the singles tournament and reached the quarterfinals of the men's doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
“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,” he said.
Associated Press writers Joseph Wilson, Tales Azzoni and James Ellingworth contributed to this report.
