“Hello everyone. I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis. I have not been able to play without limitations. It has taken me a while to make this decision but everything has a beginning and an end. “The time has come.” With these words, at 38 years old, Rafa Nadal announced that he is saying goodbye to tennis, the sport of his life. And the one who has been the best. The king of clay will say goodbye playing. As he always wanted. He will star in his last role in the final 8 of the Davis Cup that will be played in Malaga from November 19 to 24.
“The reality is that they have been difficult years, especially the last two,” explained the Spaniard. Recognizing that his career was cut short by a serious hip injury, which forced him to undergo surgery in 2023. It broke while Roland Garros was being played, where he was crowned the greatest in the history of clay.
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The 38-year-old Manacorí hangs up his racket with 1,080 games won and 227 lost and is the undisputed historical king of the clay court. In that habitat, he totaled 63 wins, of which 14 were at Roland Garros. In total there are 92 titles, of which 22 are Grand Slam titles. In addition, he has won the gold medal in the Olympic Games, both in singles and doubles, and five Davis Cups.
He will look for a sixth in his record, which would be the seventh for Spanish tennis at the Martín Carpena in Málaga. Spain will make its debut against the Netherlands on Tuesday the 19th. “It is closing the circle because one of my first joys was the final in Seville in 2024,” he explains about his farewell event and recognizing that he made himself known to the world by defeating him at the age of 18. to Andy Roddick.
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“The reality is that they have been difficult years, especially the last two.”
He will leave tennis at the age of 38 after having starred in a golden era alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, very present in images of his farewell video. “I feel super lucky for all the things I have been able to experience. And I feel grateful to the entire tennis industry, to all my colleagues for so many years. “I have been through many things with them and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life,” he said.
Rafa Nadal will say goodbye in the next edition of the Davis Cup
EFE
Special mention to his team and also to his family
The Manacorí also wanted to make a special mention of his team, who he said “are not workers, they are friends. They have always been. We have lived through very good moments, very bad moments, moments in which I have had to tighten up and others in which I have had to relax. “We have lived so much that it is difficult to explain.”
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And, of course, he got emotional talking and thanking his family. “It is everything to me. My mother has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we always had everything. My wife, Meri, we have been together for 19 years. It has been my perfect travel companion. Coming home every day and seeing how my son is growing every day gives me strength that has kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue,” he said.
Rafa Nadal’s statement
“I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that they have been difficult years, these last two especially. I think I have not been able to play without limitations. It is a decision that is obviously difficult, which has taken me It will take time to take it, but in this life everything has a beginning and an end and I think it is the right time to put an end to what has been a long career and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.
I am very excited that my last tournament is the Davis Cup final and representing my country. It is closing the circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the final in Seville in 2004.
I feel super, super lucky for all the things I have been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people that this sport encompasses. To my teammates for so many years, especially my great rivals. I have spent many hours with them and have lived moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.
I will talk about my team, it is a little more difficult for me, because it has been a very important part of my life. They are not workers, they are friends, and they have been by my side every time I have really needed them. Very bad moments, very good moments, moments in which they have had to tighten, in which they have had to relax… We have lived so much together that it is difficult to explain.
Family is everything to me. My mother, I think, has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we could have everything. My wife, Meri. We have been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done, I think you have been my perfect travel companion during all these years of my career. Coming home and seeing how my son is growing every day has been a force that has kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue.
My sister, we have always had an incredible relationship. My uncle, he is the reason I started playing tennis. Thanks to him I have been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sports career. And my father, who has been a source of inspiration in every way, has been an example of effort, of improvement. Many thanks to my father in a very special way.
And finally, you, the fans. I have no way to thank you for what you have made me feel. You have given me the energy that I have needed at every moment. Truly everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my all, of having made an effort in every way. I can only finish by saying a thousand thanks to everyone and see you soon
