King Of Clay Rafael Nadal Anounces Retirement - UBITENNIS

King Of Clay Rafael Nadal Anounces Retirement

By Adam Addicott
5 Min Read

Rafael Nadal with end his record-breaking career later this year after the Davis Cup. The Spaniard is one of the most sucessful tennis players in history.

In a video published on his social media, Nadal confirmed he will be playing his last match at the Davis Cup Finals which will take place in Malaga, Spain. The decision comes during what has been a difficult past couple of years for the Spaniard who has been troubled by injury setbacks. He hasn’t played on the Tour since the Paris Olympic Games. 

 “I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal.

“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the 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.” 

Nadal is one of the greatest players in the history of tennis with many regarding him as the greatest clay court player of all time. He has won 22 Grand Slam titles during his career with 14 of them being won at the French Open. A tournament he dominated for years with a win-loss record of 112-4. He also won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, as well as the US Open four times. 

He earned his reputation as the king of clay with 63 out of his 93 ATP titles being won on the surface. In total, he has spent 209 weeks as world no.1 which is the sixth-longest streak since the ranking system was created. 

“I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country.” He said.

“I think I’ve come full circle since one of my joys as a professional player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”

Throughout this season there has been speculation that the 38-year-old will be ending his career soon and he had a special farewell presentation at the Madrid Masters. Until this week, he had told reporters that he was still unsure about his future. 

Nadal is a member of the Big Four who dominated men’s tennis for years. Out of the quartet, Novak Djokovic will be the only player still active next year. 

“I feel super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my longtime colleagues, especially my great rivals.” Nadal commented

“I’ve spent many, many hours with them, and I’ve lived many moments that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me, because in the end, my team has been a very important part of my life. They’re not just co-workers. They are friends.

“And finally, you the fans – I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve made me feel. You give me the energy I’ve needed every moment, really. 

“Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way I can only end by saying, 1000. Thanks to all and see you soon.”

Nadal was the first man in history to complete a career Grand Slam twice and win two Olympic gold medals. He won at least one ATP title every year between 2004 and 2022 which is a record. Overall, he has won 1080 matches which is the fourth-highest of all time after Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors. 

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