One of the best tennis players of all time is relinquishing his racket. Spain's Rafael Nadal, whose retirement was suggested following his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Paris Olympics men's singles, announced Thursday that he will retire from the game he loves following the Davis Cup Finals in November. "The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially," the 38-year-old said in a video shared on social media, per Tennis.com. "I don't think I have been able to play without limitations." He said it was "the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined."
Nadal, who went pro in 2001, has won 22 grand slam titles, putting him second on the men's all-time list behind Djokovic with 24. His dominance of the French Open is legendary, including an incredible 112-4 record with 14 title wins. A 92-time tour-level champion, with particular skill on clay courts, Nadal spent 209 weeks as the No. 1 rank. As a young player, his rivalry with Roger Federer "would reignite global interest in the sport and spark what many consider the golden era of men's tennis," per the Guardian. His later rivalry with Djokovic, considered the greatest rivalry in tennis history, brought out the best in both players while delighting audiences around the world. Across 60 games, Djokovic won 31, Nadal 29.
"I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals," Nadal said. "I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life." Nadal, who has battled the degenerative foot disease Mueller-Weiss syndrome in addition to a slew of injuries, added, "I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country." The team event will be held in Malaga, Spain, from Nov. 19-24. (More Rafael Nadal stories.)
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