Rafael Nadal is a 22-time Grand Slam champion
Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, will retire from tennis at the end of this season.
The 38-year-old will represent Spain in his final appearance at next month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
Nadal has barely played over the past two seasons because of injuries and suggested last year he could retire at the end of the 2024 season.
In a video message released on Thursday, Nadal said: “I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially.
“I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.”
Nadal retires as the second-most successful men’s singles player of all time, behind only long-time rival Novak Djokovic.
Dubbed the ‘King of Clay’, Nadal won the French Open singles title a record 14 times, winning 112 of his 116 major matches at Roland Garros.
No player has won as many Grand Slam singles titles at the same tournament.
Nadal is also a four-time US Open champion and won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice.
He also won Olympic singles and doubles gold and helped Spain win five Davis Cup finals, most recently in 2019.
Alongside enduring rivals Djokovic and 20-time major champion Roger Federer, Nadal formed the ‘Big Three’ that dominated the men’s game from the early 2000s and drew in legions of fans.
“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” Federer, who famously cried alongside Nadal when he retired in 2022, said.
“Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love.
“It’s been an absolute honour.”
