Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has announced his retirement from professional tennis at the end of the season following the Davis Cup Finals. Nadal has amassed 22 grand slam titles, placing him second on the men’s all-time list. Fourteen of these victories came at Roland Garros, where he has dominated like no other player in the sport’s history, boasting an unparalleled 112-4 record.
Nadal has won all four major titles multiple times and spent 209 weeks at No 1. Two decades ago, he emerged on the ATP Tour and quickly began to challenge Roger Federer’s dominance, establishing himself as one of the greatest teenagers the sport has ever seen. Their rivalry, characterized by contrasting playing styles and approaches, reignited global interest in tennis and is often cited as the golden era of men’s tennis.
They were later joined by Novak Djokovic, who, along with Nadal, pushed the physicality of the sport to new heights through numerous grueling battles. Their rivalry stands as the most prolific men’s tennis match-up in the open era, with the pair facing each other 60 times, Djokovic leading 31-29.
As Nadal cemented his dominance on clay courts while steadily improving elsewhere, his playing style revolutionized the game. The intense, heavy topspin he generates is unlike anything seen before in the sport. Coupled with his paradigm-shifting forehand, supreme athleticism, and intelligence, Nadal became a player determined to constantly improve. This complete game allowed him to surpass Federer and finally win Wimbledon in 2008 after one of the greatest matches of all time.
Despite his remarkable success, Nadal’s career has been marred by injuries. His physical playing style and health issues, particularly Müller-Weiss Syndrome, a degenerative disease in his foot, have sidelined him for significant periods. His consistent physical struggles make his sustained success at Roland Garros even more remarkable.
Despite these physical problems, Nadal has enjoyed remarkable longevity in the sport. His last two grand slam titles came at the Australian Open and French Open in 2022, marking one last remarkable comeback season. However, in recent years, those injuries have finally caught up with him. Since the Covid hiatus in 2020, when his chronic foot injury relapsed, he has struggled to stay fit, especially after withdrawing with an abdominal injury before his 2022 Wimbledon semi-final. Nadal’s physical issues culminated in last year’s hip surgery.
As he prepared for that operation, Nadal hinted that 2024 would likely be his final year as a professional tennis player. Once he returned to competition during the clay court season in April this year, Nadal seemed hopeful of extending his career further. He enjoyed the feeling of being an active tennis player again, working daily with his team to achieve their goals, battling in matches, and traveling with his family.
Ultimately, Nadal’s body and some tough draws influenced his decision to retire. He had hoped to perform well at the French Open and the Olympics, held at Roland Garros on clay. At the French Open, his hopes of gradually building his level were dashed when he drew the eventual finalist Alexander Zverev in the first round. He then suffered a thigh injury days before the Olympics, where he lost to the eventual gold medallist and his old rival, Djokovic, in the second round.
Nadal has not competed since his doubles run alongside Carlos Alcaraz ended in Paris, and his career, one of the greatest of all time, now has only one official stop left. After a lucrative exhibition in Saudi Arabia alongside other top tennis players, Nadal will conclude his career in front of his home crowd at the Davis Cup Finals, which begins on 19 November in Malaga.
