Rafael Nadal announced Thursday on his social networks that he will soon retire from sports.
The final phase of the Davis Cup, scheduled for November 19 to 24 in front of his home crowd in Malaga, will constitute his last appearance on the professional circuit.
It is a monument which is bowing out, one more. Rafael Nadal will put away his rackets in a little over a month. In a long broadcast on his social networks, the 38-year-old Spanish tennis player announced his retirement from sports following the 2024 Davis Cup final. “I am here to tell you that I am leaving professional tennis”he declared. “Everything in life has a beginning and an end and I think the time has come to end my career, which has been long and more successful than I could have imagined.”he added.
The final phase of the competition – during which the quarters, semis and final will take place – is scheduled for November 19 to 24, in Malaga. “I’m very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup final, and to represent my country there. I think it’s a way of coming full circle when one of my first great joys as professional player was the final” of this competition, won in 2004 in Seville, said the main person concerned. At home, the “Bull of Manacor” and his teammates will begin their quest for the title against the Netherlands.
An immense track record and unrivaled domination on clay
Once this last chapter is closed, it will be time to say goodbye to one of the greatest players of all time, the penultimate member of the “Big Four” still active. Roger Federer’s eternal rival is the fifth most successful player in the Open era, with 92 career trophies. In addition to his 22 Grand Slams (only Novak Djokovic does better), he has won 36 Masters 1000, 23 ATP 500 and 10 ATP 250. He also won in singles at the Olympic Games, during the 2008 edition. This makes it one of only three players (with André Agassi and Novak Djokovic) to have won the Olympics and all four Grand Slam lifts. “Rafa” is also the only person – man or woman – to have sat in the world No. 1 spot in singles in three different decades (2000, 2010, 2020), which says everything about his exceptional longevity.
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Above all, Rafael Nadal is without any possible debate the best player in the history of clay. His 14 Roland-Garros wins certainly constitute one of the most untouchable records in this sport. The only player in the Open era to have a winning percentage greater than 90% on a surface, on his favorite ocher, he also holds the benchmark marks in terms of invincibility (81 victories in a row on clay between 2005 and 2007) and consecutive rounds won (50 rounds in a row won on clay between 2017 and 2018).
