Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from tennis in a tearful video.
Nadal is a 22-time Grand Slam winner across a remarkable career that included a record 14 French Open titles.
Nadal said goodbye to Roland-Garros at the Olympics earlier this yearGetty
The 38-year-old also won four US Open titles, and two each at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He was also a gold medal winner at the Beijing Olympics.
He has not played since the Paris Olympics and his final time on the court will be at the Davis Cup finals this November in Malaga.
“In this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.
“I feel super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my longtime colleagues, especially my great rivals.
“I’ve spent many, many hours with them, and I’ve lived many moments that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me, because in the end, my team has been a very important part of my life. They’re not just co-workers. They are friends.
“And finally, you the fans – I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve made me feel. You give me the energy I’ve needed every moment, really.
“Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way I can only end by saying thanks to all and see you soon.”
He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players to ever pick up a tennis racket.
Nadal’s career rivalry with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic is the stuff of legend, counting 66 Grand Slams between the trio.
His retirement was sadly been a long-time coming with injuries plaguing him in recent years.
Rafa Nadal’s career in numbers
22 – grand slam titles.
14 – French Open titles, the most by any player at any slam.
112 – victories at Roland Garros.
4 – defeats at Roland Garros.
4 – US Open titles.
2 – Wimbledon titles.
2 – Australian Open titles.
13 – years between Nadal’s two Melbourne titles, in 2009 and 2022.
30 – grand slam final appearances.
92 – tour-level singles titles.
2 – Olympic gold medals, one in singles and one in doubles.
36 – ATP Masters 1000 titles.
4 – Davis Cup titles with Spain.
12 – titles at the Barcelona Open, with 11 at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
81 – consecutive matches won on clay from April 2005 to May 2007.
209 – weeks spent at world number one.
5 – years ended as world number one.
912 – consecutive weeks spent in the top 10 between April 2005 and March 2023, more than any other man.
24 – victories over Roger Federer from 40 matches.
29 – victories over Novak Djokovic from 60 matches.
1,080 – tour-level matches won.
More to follow.
