PARIS, 10 OCT – Rafael Nadal announced today that he will retire after the Davis Cup final this November, thus closing the curtain on a glorious career that saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles, and create an epic rivalry with two world tennis legends, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
“I will retire from professional tennis. The truth is, the last few years have been very challenging, especially the last two years,” said Nadal in a video shared on social media.
“Of course, this decision is not easy and time-consuming for me to make. However, everything in life must have a beginning and an end,” he added.
The 38-year-old from Spain is expected to end his 20-year career with 92 titles and prize money worth US$135 million.
Nadal dominated the French Open where he won 14 Grand Slam titles, including his first just after his 19th birthday in 2005. His final victory at Roland Garros in 2022 makes him the oldest champion in the tournament’s history.
On the Roland Garros court, Nadal only lost three times out of 115 matches he participated in.
Nadal has also won four US Open titles and two Australian Open titles. He first won the Australian Open in 2009 and again after 13 years in 2022. Although grass is not his favorite surface, Nadal still managed to win Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010.
The five-set Wimbledon 2008 final between Nadal and Federer, which ended in near-darkness at the All England Club, is considered the greatest Grand Slam final of all time. – AFP
