Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has announced that he will retire from professional tennis after the Davis Cup finals in November 2024, marking the end of an illustrious 20-year career. The Spanish star, who has claimed 22 Grand Slam titles and established fierce rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, shared the news through a video posted on social media.
“I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” Nadal said in his announcement. “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.”
Nadal, 38, will retire with a record that includes 92 career titles and prize earnings of $135 million. Known for his dominance at the French Open, he won the prestigious tournament 14 times, starting in 2005 when he was just 19 years old. His final French Open victory came in 2022, making him the oldest champion in the tournament’s history. Throughout his career at Roland Garros, Nadal won 112 out of 115 matches.
In addition to his success at the French Open, Nadal also won four US Open titles, two Australian Open titles, and two Wimbledon championships. His Wimbledon victory in 2008, where he defeated Roger Federer in a five-set final, is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in tennis history. Nadal also secured a career Golden Slam, winning an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and claiming five Davis Cup titles for Spain.
Nadal’s rivalry with Federer and Djokovic has been a defining aspect of his career. He holds a 24-16 record over Federer, who retired last year, and faced Djokovic 60 times, trailing the Serbian star by a narrow margin of 30-29 in head-to-head matches.
Despite his remarkable achievements, Nadal’s career has been marred by injuries. His aggressive, hard-hitting style led to numerous physical setbacks, including ankle, knee, wrist, and abdominal issues. He missed 16 Grand Slam tournaments due to injury and had to withdraw mid-event on several occasions.
Nadal even revealed that he needed daily pain-killing injections in his foot to compete at the 2022 French Open, which he eventually won. He underwent several medical procedures to extend his career but was forced to pull out of key tournaments, including Wimbledon and the Australian Open, due to injury.
