Four-time US Open champion Rafael Nadal announced his impending retirement from tennis on Thursday, saying that next month's Davis Cup Finals will be the final tournament of the 38-year-old Spaniard's legendary career.
Nadal's announcement comes in the final weeks of a 2024 season in which he only played seven tournaments on the heels of missing nearly all of 2023 as a result of hip surgery. His latest physical struggles directly contributed to his decision to call time on his career officially, Nadal says, as speculation about his impending retirement followed him throughout the season.
"The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially," Nadal said in a video posted to his social media channels.
"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, but in life, everything has a beginning and and end. I think it's the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could've ever imagined."
One of the greatest players to ever pick up a tennis racquet, Nadal's career ends with 22 Grand Slam singles titles among his 92 all-time trophies, which began with victory at Roland Garros in 2005 when he was 18 years old. Dubbed the "King of Clay," Nadal won Roland Garros a record 14 times, winning 112 of his 116 singles matches played in Paris. No player in tennis history as won as many majors at the same tournament.
Ranked No. 1 in the world for a total of 209 weeks, the Spaniard is one of three men to complete the career Golden Slam thanks to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Nadal's first US Open victory in 2010 completed his boxed set of majors, and he added victories in New York in 2013, 2017 and 2019.
He posted a 67-12 all-time US Open record, and his final match in Queens was a fourth-round defeat to Frances Tiafoe in Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2022.
In the aftermath of Nadal's announcement, US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster hailed him as "one of the greatest athletes to ever pick up a racquet and one of the greatest champions tennis has ever seen."
"He left an indelible imprint on the game with his relentless work ethic, competitive fire and signature sportsmanship, and he will always be remembered as a champion, a beloved fan-favorite and one of tennis' greatest ambassadors," she said. "We congratulate Rafa on his incredible career and wish him and his family all the best in the next chapter of their lives. He will always have a home at the US Open, and we look forward to welcoming him back."
Nadal last was on court this this year at the Paris Olympics, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in singles and teamed with Carlos Alcaraz for a quarterfinal run in doubles. In his Malaga farewell, Nadal will likely be on the same team as the 2022 US Open champion, who went unbeaten last month in the group stage to help Spain secure a berth in the knockout rounds.
“I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country," Nadal said. "I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004."
The former No. 1's impending goodbye closes the book on another chapter for an all-time great in tennis in the last two years, following Roger Federer and Serena Williams' respective 2022 farewells, and Andy Murray's retirement earlier this year. Nadal specifcally noted his longtime rivals Federer, Murray and Novak Djokovic in his video message, saying it was a blessing to be a part of a defining era of the sport.
“I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience," Nadal said. "I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals. I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
