Nadal announces end of storied career

Rafael Nadal announced his upcoming retirement Thursday, stating that next month’s Davis Cup Finals will be his final event.

“Hello everyone, I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal in Spanish in a video posted on social media. “The reality is it 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 Spanish icon held World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for 209 weeks, sixth-most since the rankings’ inception in 1973. Nadal earned ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours five times.

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “Rafa’s impact on tennis is immeasurable. For over two decades, he brought unmatched tenacity and grit to every match. His fierce competitive spirit and iconic rivalries during one of the sport’s greatest eras captivated fans around the world. He elevated the game and inspired millions to pick up a racquet.

“Rafa’s achievements are nothing short of historic — he won it all. His record at Roland-Garros, in particular, will likely never be eclipsed. But what stands out most is his character. Humble, authentic, and always gracious, he earned the deep respect of players, fans, and everyone involved in tennis. His multiple sportsmanship awards reflect the class he has shown throughout his career, on and off the court.

Gracias Rafa, #RafaSiempre ❤️ pic.twitter.com/m7NXorFaNx

Nadal was a member of the ATP Player Advisory Council from 2010-12 and 2019-22. The Spaniard has impacted countless lives through his Rafa Nadal Foundation, which received the Laureus Sport For Good Award this year.

Gaudenzi added: “Rafa’s contributions extended beyond the court as well. His work on the ATP Player Advisory Council for many years has helped serve the sport and its future. As we look forward to his farewell at the Davis Cup, we know his legacy will live on for generations. Rafa, thank you for everything — you will be greatly missed on Tour.”

The 38-year-old was the first men’s player in history to complete the career Grand Slam twice and won 22 major championships overall, only trailing Novak Djokovic (24). The Spaniard earned two Australian Open crowns, 14 Roland-Garros trophies, two Wimbledon titles and four US Open victories.

His 14 Coupe des Mousquetaires alone give him more major titles than all but three other men (Djokovic, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras) in history. The Spaniard tallied a 112-4 record at the clay-court major, one of the most dominant efforts in all of sport.

Nadal owns many records, including most clay-court titles in the Open Era (63). He captured an ATP Tour title in 19 consecutive seasons from 2004-22 and maintained a Top 10 PIF ATP Ranking for 912 straight weeks from 25 April 2005 through 19 March 2023.

The 92-time titlist has earned 1,080 tour-level wins during his illustrious career, the fourth-most victories on record behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274), Roger Federer (1,251) and Djokovic (1,122).

The Mallorcan qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals 17 times, earning his place at the season finale every year from 2005 through 2020, as well as in 2022.

The lefty excelled at ATP Masters 1000 events, claiming 36 titles at the elite level. His 410 Masters 1000 wins are the most in the series’ history (since 1990).

Nadal is the winner of 15 ATP Tour Awards: ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF (2008, ‘10, ‘13, ‘17, ‘19), the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award (2011), Comeback Player of the Year (2013), the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship (2010, ‘18-21), Most Improved Player of the Year (2005), Newcomer of the Year (2003) and Fans' Favourite (2022). He is also a two-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2011 and 2021). The lefty claimed Laureus’ World Breakthrough of the Year in 2006 and Comeback of the Year in 2014.

He won two Olympic gold medals, earning singles glory in Beijing in 2008 and doubles gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 with Marc Lopez.

The Spaniard climbed to the top of the sport for the first time aged 22, reaching World No. 1 on 18 August 2008. He once held top spot for 56 consecutive weeks (7 June 2010-3 July 2011) and was most recently World No. 1 in February 2020.

“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal said. “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 a thousand thanks to all and see you soon.”