Tennis Legend Rafael Nadal Announces Retirement

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from professional tennis on Thursday.

In an emotional video shared on social media, the 22-time Grand Slam champion bid farewell to the sport that cemented his legacy as one of the most beloved athletes globally. Nadal’s final appearance will be at the Davis Cup final 8 in November, marking the end of his illustrious career.

Mil gracias a todos
Many thanks to all
Merci beaucoup à tous
Grazie mille à tutti
谢谢大家
شكرا لكم جميعا
תודה לכולכם
Obrigado a todos
Vielen Dank euch allen
Tack alla
Хвала свима
Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024

Nadal’s achievements include a record 14 French Open titles among his 22 Grand Slam victories. He has also claimed 92 ATP singles titles, including 36 Masters titles and an Olympic gold medal. Notably, Nadal is one of just three men in tennis history to achieve a Career Golden Slam in singles.

In the retirement video, Nadal shared the challenges of recent years. “I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” Nadal said. “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.”

Last month, Nadal withdrew from the 2024 Laver Cup, which was originally set to be his farewell event. His fourth Laver Cup appearance, set to be hosted by Berlin, would have followed his previous participation in Prague, Geneva and London, where he famously partnered with Roger Federer in the Swiss legend’s final match.

Nadal had hinted that 2024 might be his last year on tour. He holds a 12-7 match record this season, with his final match at the Paris Olympics, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the second round.