The Davis Cup is being played in Malaga, between 19 and 24 November, where he will play the finals with the Spanish team and could once again be paired with Carlos Alcaraz. “Hello everyone. I’m here to tell you that I’m retiring from professional tennis...”, says an emotional Rafa in his video.
“I have not been able to play without limitations. It’s a difficult decision, which has taken me a long time to make. In this life everything has a beginning and an end. And it’s the right time. It’s been a much more successful career than I could ever have imagined,” he continues. His injuries have limited him in recent times. In this 2024 he was barely able to play Roland Garros and the Olympic Games in Paris.
And he announces that Malaga will be his last event: “I’m very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup and representing my country. It’s like closing the circle”. He also remembers Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in his video. His two great rivals and a trio that is considered the ‘Big 3’ in the history of tennis: “I want to thank the entire tennis industry. My partners for so many years and especially my great rivals. I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life...”
Factbox on 22-times Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal:
Age: 38
Country: Spain
ATP ranking: 158 (Highest ranking: 1)
Grand Slam titles - 22
* Australian Open (2009, 2022)
* French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
* Wimbledon (2008, 2010)
* U.S. Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
French Open record
* Nadal made his debut at the French Open in 2005 and has a 112-4 win-loss record at Roland Garros.
* He was knocked out in the fourth round in 2009 by Robin Soderling, while he lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals and 2021 semi-finals.
* In 2016, Nadal withdrew before his third round match due to a wrist injury.
* In 2023, he missed the French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury. The Spaniard said at the time that he expected to retire at the end of the 2024 season.
* Knocked out in the first round at Roland Garros in 2024 by Alexander Zverev.
EARLY LIFE
- Born in Manacor, Mallorca to Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera.
- His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal was a former soccer player who represented Barcelona, RCD Mallorca and Spain.
- Introduced to tennis by another uncle, Toni, who encouraged his naturally right-handed nephew to play left-handed as it would give him an advantage.
- Turned professional in 2001 and won the junior Davis Cup with Spain in 2002. Won the ATP newcomer of the year in 2003.
CAREER
- Won his first ATP singles title in Poland in 2004.
- Defeated world number two Andy Roddick to guide Spain to the Davis Cup title in 2004. Won the tournament again in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.
- Won the French Open on his debut in 2005 and a year later beat Roger Federer in the final.
- In 2007, he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles.
- Won his first Wimbledon title in 2008 with a five-set victory over Roger Federer, a clash dubbed the 'the greatest tennis match in history'.
- Won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in singles. Clinched doubles gold with Marc Lopez at the 2016 Rio Games.
- Suffered his first French Open loss in 2009 to Sweden's Robin Soderling in the fourth round.
- Regained the title the following year, beating Soderling in the final. Also won Wimbledon for a second time in 2010 before claiming his first U.S. Open title, becoming the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams.
- Matched Borg's record of six French Open titles with his 2011 victory and overtook the Swede in 2012.
- Became the first man with eight titles at the same Grand Slam when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the 2013 final at Roland Garros. He also won the U.S. Open that year.
- Became the first man to win five successive French Open titles in 2014.
- Lost to Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
- Won his second Grand Slam of 2017 at Flushing Meadows after a 10th French Open title in June.
- Claimed an 11th French Open title and his 17th major with victory over Dominic Thiem in 2018.
- Defeated Thiem again in the 2019 final to seal his 12th Roland Garros title. He also won a fourth U.S. Open crown by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.
- Matched Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam titles by defeating Djokovic in the French Open final in 2020.
- Got his 1,000th victory on the ATP Tour at the 2020 Paris Masters, becoming the fourth man in the professional era to achieve it.
- Suffered only his third-ever loss at Roland Garros in 2021 when he was beaten by Djokovic in the semi-finals.
- Missed chunks of the 2021 season, including Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open, due to a long-standing foot injury.
- Defeated Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final to win a men's record 21st Grand Slam title.
- Beat Norway's Casper Ruud to extend his record with his 22nd Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown.
- Knocked out of the Wimbledon semi-finals and U.S. Open last-16 in 2022.
- In 2023, failed to retain his Australian Open crown where Djokovic triumphed and tied his record for 22 Grand Slam titles.
- Missed the 2023 French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open.
- Made his return from injury at the Brisbane International in January before withdrawing from the Australian Open due to a small muscle tear.
- Made another comeback during the European claycourt swing, playing a total of eight matches in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome ahead of the French Open.
- Skipped Wimbledon in 2024 to focus on preparing for the Paris Olympics, where he was defeated in the singles by eventual champion Novak Djokovic and lost in the doubles quarter-finals partnering Carlos Alcaraz.
- Missed the U.S. Open and Laver Cup over fitness concerns.
- Announced he will retire after the Davis Cup final at the end of November in Malaga.
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