Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from the sport after an illustrious career in which he clinched 22 Grand Slam titles.
Universally recognised as one of the all time greatest tennis players — arguably the best ever — Nadal confirmed his final tournament will be with Spain at the Davis Cup finals in November.
Nadal last played at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but continuing injury struggles, which have hampered him throughout his career, have severely limited his time on the court over the past two seasons.
RAFAEL NADAL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
“Hello everyone, I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media. “The reality is that is has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.
“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.
“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.”
THE KING OF CLAY’S REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
Nadal’s 22 Grand Slams are the second-most in history of men’s tennis behind only Novak Djokovic.
Additionally, the Spaniard has also clinched 36 Masters 1000 titles over the course of his glittering 20-year career.
Nadal has also won singles and doubles gold for Spain at the Olympics and led his country to five Davis Cup titles.
Known as “King of Clay” for complete dominance on the red surface, Nadal won 14 of his grand slams at the French Open and lost just four of his 116 matches in Paris.
He also won the US Open four times and the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, while his victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final is widely considered the greatest tennis match of all time.
DO YOU CONSIDERER RAFA AT THE TENNIS GOAT?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this Rafael Nadal related article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
