Legendary Nadal ends his career with tears in his eyes
Photo: Rafael Nadal bids farewell to the audience (Getty Images)
Iconic Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis. He spent more than 20 years on the men's tour.
The 38-year-old Pyrenean has put away his racket for good. He will not return to the court in official competitions.
“I am here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that 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,” Nadal admitted.
The last tournament in the star's career will be the Davis Cup final. There, he will try to win the trophy for the fifth time as part of the national team. The competition will take place on November 19-24 in Malaga, Spain.
Mil gracias a todos
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024
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
A native of the Balearic Islands, he made his adult debut in 2001. Throughout his career, he won 92 titles, became a recognized master of clay-court tournaments and formed the Big Three together with Swiss Federer and Serbian Djokovic.
He won 22 Grand Slam tournaments. His favorite major was Roland Garros, where he won a record 14 times. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won a gold medal in singles, and at the 2016 Olympic Games - in doubles. Over the years, he has earned almost $135 million in prize money in tennis.
Off the court, he is interested in football and golf and is a fan of Real Madrid. He published his memoir Rafa: My Story in 2011. Throughout his career, he wore Nike gear and is remembered for playing in tank tops instead of traditional T-shirts.
