According to the latest Tennis news, Rafael Nadal announced on October 10, 2024, that he will retire from professional tennis after the upcoming Davis Cup Finals. The decision to retire came after two difficult years filled with injuries. In a video posted across his social media platforms, Nadal said that although it was a challenging decision, he felt peace knowing that he gave his all throughout his career.
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According to the latest Tennis news, Nadal expressed excitement about representing Spain one last time at the Davis Cup Finals in Málaga, from November 19-24, 2024.
One of his earliest major accomplishments was winning the 2004 Davis Cup Finals in Seville. “It’s closing the circle,” Nadal said, referring to how his career started and will end with the Davis Cup.
The decision to retire was influenced by Rafael Nadal’s injury troubles over the last two years. He has struggled with a rare degenerative condition known as Mueller-Weiss syndrome, affecting the bones in his feet along with various other injuries that hampered his performance.
Nadal missed multiple major tournaments in recent years including the 2023 French Open and several other Grand Slam events.
Rafael Nadal has amassed 22 Grand Slam titles, second only to Novak Djokovic, who holds 24 titles. Nadal’s dominance on clay courts is unrivaled with a record-breaking 14 French Open titles. Over the course of his career, Nadal also won:
- 4 US Open titles
- 2 Wimbledon championships
- 2 Australian Open titles
His last Grand Slam victory came in 2022, when he won the French Open for the 14th time.
Nadal’s 14 titles at a single major tournament are a record that may never be broken. He clinched his first French Open in 2005 and between 2005 and 2014, he won 9 out of 10 titles at Roland Garros.
Nadal’s last major victory came at the 2022 French Open, which fittingly is his 14th and final victory at the clay-court major, two days after his 36th birthday.
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Nadal turned professional at just 15 years old and his rise to the top of the tennis world was swift. By 2004, at the age of 18, he helped Spain win the Davis Cup defeating the then-world number two Andy Roddick.
In 2005, he began his domination at the French Open by winning his first title against Mariano Puerta.
Nadal’s career is defined not just by his titles but by his legendary rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic often referred to as the Big Three in tennis.
His rivalry with Federer produced some of the most memorable matches in tennis history including the 2008 Wimbledon final, which Nadal won in a five-set thriller regarded by many as the greatest match of all time.
Nadal and Federer’s battles on the court spanned 40 matches with Nadal holding the edge in their head-to-head record.
The rivalry with Novak Djokovic was equally compelling, as the two faced each other 59 times with Djokovic leading their encounters. Nadal won in several of their matches including numerous French Open clashes.
Injuries plagued Nadal’s career in the latter stages. From knee issues to a recurring thigh injury that forced him to miss the 2023 Australian Open.
After missing much of the 2023 season, Nadal returned to action in January 2024 at the Brisbane International but was sidelined again due to a thigh injury.
He participated in only a handful of tournaments in 2024 including a first-round exit at the French Open. His last competitive appearance before his retirement announcement came at the Paris Olympics, where he suffered a loss to Novak Djokovic in the second round. This defeat confirmed that the end was near.
Nadal’s announcement of retirement has emotional responses from Roger Federer, who retired in 2022. Federer expressed his admiration for their shared rivalry, saying, “What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come.”
Nadal and Federer’s friendship blossomed during their years of rivalry with one of the emotional moments of Federer’s retirement coming when the two legends cried together during Federer’s final match.
Beyond his 22 Grand Slam titles, Nadal leaves the game with an extraordinary list of accomplishments including 92 ATP singles titles, 36 Masters 1000 titles and Olympic gold.
He also completed the rare Career Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal.
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