Rafael Nadal retires from tennis at the age of 38

MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal announced Thursday his retirement from professional tennis at the age of 38 after winning 22 Grand Slam titles — 14 of them at the French Open — during his career. An unprecedented era Share it with competitors Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Nadal did not participate much in the past two seasons due to injuries and said that next month’s Davis Cup finals would be his farewell to the sport. He had Hip surgery in 2023 and has entered only two of the past eight major tournaments.

“The truth is that they have been difficult years, especially the last two years. I don’t think I have been able to play without restrictions,” Nadal said in a video message. “It is obviously a difficult decision, and one that took me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end.”

Nadal’s tough, physical style of play – every point being pursued as if it were his last, running and sliding into place for that high-rebounding left forehand – made him One of the greats The game and the undisputed king of clay.

His record 14 French Opens are more than anyone, man or woman, has won at any of the four Grand Slams, a dominance celebrated by a statue of Nadal near the main entrance to Roland Garros and in the shadow of its main courts. Stadium: Stade Philippe Chatrier.

In a result that symbolizes the state of affairs in his body and his career, he was eliminated in the first round at the French Open this year, after losing in a straight set to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.

Nadal returned to that location in southwest Paris to participate in the Summer Olympics, where he lost to his old rival Djokovic in the second singles round and reached the second round. Men’s doubles quarter-finals With Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal has not played since. His farewell will also come while representing Spain in the Davis Cup in Malaga.

“Your legacy will be unmatched,” Alcaraz, widely viewed as Nadal’s heir apparent in Spanish tennis, said on Thursday. “I enjoyed you and I will miss you very much when you retire after the Davis Cup.”

Among these were football greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe Stars from the world of sports I also pay tribute to Nadal.

In addition to his victories at the French Open, Nadal won four titles at the US Open and two each at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, giving him a Grand Slam title.

“This is the right time to put an end to my career, which has been longer and more successful than I could have imagined,” Nadal said.

His last major title arrived in 2022, In Melbourne and Paris, moving him ahead of Federer, who held the men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles when he announced his retirement at the age of 41. Collaboration with Nadal In a doubles match at the Laver Cup.

Djokovic, 37, has since surpassed both, which amounts to 24 majors.

Much of Nadal’s success has been seen, fair or not, through his clashes with Federer and Djokovic. The tennis world, and much beyond it, has been busy debating which player deserves the title of “The GOAT” – “the greatest of all time”. The world, both in tennis and beyond, was fascinated by their different matches, styles and personalities.

Who among those who witnessed it could forget Nadal vs. Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final? Or Nadal vs. Djokovic in Quarter-finals of the French Open 2022? Or Nadal vs. Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open final? And so on.

Nadal has played Djokovic 60 times, a record for two men in the Open Era. Djokovic leads 31-29 overall, while Nadal leads 5-4 in Grand Slam finals.

“You have inspired millions of kids to start playing tennis and I think that is probably the greatest achievement anyone could hope for,” Novak Djokovic said. Instagram. “Your perseverance, dedication and fighting spirit will be taught for decades. Your legacy will live on forever… Thank you for pushing me to the limit so many times in our competition which has influenced me the most as a player.

Nadal has met Federer 40 times; Nadal leads 24-16 overall, including 6-3 in Grand Slam finals.

“Thank you for the unforgettable memories and for all your amazing achievements in the game we love,” Federer told Nadal on social media.

That’s certainly appropriate Nadal’s last major title It came at the French Open (after beating Djokovic on the way) two years ago, while undergoing pain-killing injections for chronic pain in his left foot. He has repeatedly dealt with and overcome various injury issues over the years, and his 2023 and 2024 seasons were limited by hip and abdominal issues.

Nadal injured his hip flexor during a second-round loss at the Australian Open in January 2023, and ended up missing the rest of the year. There was a process for that in June.

After making a brief return in January during a warm-up event for the Australian Open, he was forced to withdraw from the first major tournament of the year due to a torn hip muscle, and was then sidelined again until returning to his preferred clay court at the Barcelona Open in 2016. April.

Dating back to late 2022, when he was beaten in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows by Frances Tiafoe, Nadal is just 14-14, including 12-7 this year.

But his overall resume is unimpeachable: 209 total weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings and nearly 18 years of consecutive weeks in the top 10; 92 singles titles; 1,080-227 win-loss record; Nearly $135 million in prize money.

“In fact, everything I went through was a dream come true,” Nadal said. “I leave with peace of mind because I gave my best, I made an effort in every way.”

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Fendrich reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Joseph Wilson and James Illingworth contributed to this report.

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Tennis AP: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis