Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis.
His last event will be the Davis Cup next month in Malaga, wearing Spanish colours.
The 38-year-old Spaniard, who won 22 Grand Slam titles including 14 at the French Open, announced the news in a video message posted on X.
He said: “Hello everyone. I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis.”
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010 added: “The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. 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 this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And 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 have ever imagined.”
Rafael Nadal’s Grand Slam haul
22 Grand Slam titles
14 – French Open
4 – US Open
2 – Wimbledon
2 – Australian Open
Nadal’s career has been hampered by injuries; he missed the 2023 French Open and was beaten in the first round by German Alexander Zverev this year.
He won his last Roland Garros title in 2022 and left the tournament on a jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record.
Nadal added he was “very excited” to finish his career at the Davis Cup.
He has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to old rival Novak Djokovic in the second round of the singles tournament and reached the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
Social media reaction
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
