Rafael Nadal said on Thursday he was putting an end to his career, a decision effective after the Davis Cup final after a professional journey that made him one of the greatest players in tennis.
“It has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” the 38-year-old, who won a record 14 French Open titles, said in a video.
“I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup representing my country. It’s closing the circle because one of my first joys was the final in Sevilla in 2004.”
Rafa thanked his family and his team for his stellar career, with a special word for his uncle Toni, who was his coach for most of his time on court.
“I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sporting career,” he said.
To his fans, Rafa said: “I can’t thank you enough for what you have made me feel. Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true.”
“I leave with the absolute peace of mind having given my best,” he added.
Thank you, Rafa, for everything you have given to the world of tennis and to all of us who have been lucky enough to witness your incredible journey! You will forever be a champion in every sense of the word!
Source: Reuters
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No adieu , Rafa Nadal Parera is with us now and forever 💓 and …We stand by you , all what you give us thru 22years …only love for 🎾, human,family and for ordinary People…and we adore you. I love you,ali my fmilly,from my late father Luka …ti si nestvarna čovjek,ti si sportaš za uzor,ti si netko tko je realizirao bajku za sve nas 🤩,a radio si i trudio se jadan kao dijete..ali si imao obitelj, strica koji te muči i ljubav svih njih. Puno te volim,čitav tvoj put pamtim i samo neka ste ti i tvoja obitelj zdravi i zadovoljni 💫
Možda te vidim izdaleka u Manacoru🍀, nema veze. Ti si bio i jesi dio svih ljudi koji gledaju tenis i vole ga, mi te previše volimo ali MORAMO te pustiti najdraži naš!
Pliz,aj uzmite Davis cup i ti si sretan,a ja najsretnija.
Voli te Hrvatska i Marina iz Zagreba
Thank you Rafa for all the joy, all the tension, all the tears. I’ve loved watching you play since 2005 and tennis won’t be the same without you. Thank you also for being a true professional on the court and a respectful, admirable, vulnerable human being on and off the court. In my opinion your decision to retire is the correct one but a sad one. Have fun with your family and enjoy the rest of your life doing stuff that fulfils you. ♥️
Îți”s the day when the tennis dies for me… I will nota watch tennis anymore, at least 1 or 2 years.. Rafa was my hero model and the reson i watched tennis like a maniack. I am very sad. I was hopping for 1 more years to watch Rafa. I will rewatch all hîș match in YouTube. For one more tine: Vamoooos Rafa!!!
He is my lovely Hiawatha forever and event🥰🙌☀️🍀🎾🏆🌻💗
Rafa – it has been an absolute privilege to watch you compete for the last couple of decades!! You are the ultimate competitor, a great sportsman and full of class both on and off the court. Watching tennis will not be as fun without you. But I wish you and your family all the best. Hope you stay involved in tennis in some way!
Rafa sad to hear this day has come , but you have giving the love and respect of your career in Tennis 🎾 your always been the one and only one legend I admire to watch, there will be no Tennis without you, but you will be sadly miss your my idol but I do appreciate the great memories you have giving in your career every match always remembers, I wish you all happiness in your future Love ❤️ from your number 1 fan
Thank you, Rafael Nadal. You are forever a champion, on and off the court🙏❤️
Rafa our King 👑 of tennis 🎾 you will be never forgotten and you will be sadly miss, tennis legend you have become there is no tennis 🎾 without our legend, but you are my idol , I wish you all the best of happiness with your retirement with your beautiful family your are the greatest of all time ❤️with love your number 1 fan
Thank you, Rafa, for all the wonderful memories and sheer joy. You are a magnificent champion, perfect gentleman and a great role model. You will warm my heart forever! My very best to you and yours for a most lovely life! A devoted fan!
I hope Nadal retires right. He still can get injured mid match at Davis Cup. Even though it’s still more fitting if it happens, it’s not right. I will also retire from his forum in Nov. It’s been nice knowing all of you.
Thank you Rafa for letting us fans watch you for several years you are the most gracious,kind,and professional player to ever have played the game tennis won’t be the same without you you will be greatly missed . Many blessing to you and your family as you look to the future you will be forever missed .A fan from Peoria Arizona
Rafa, I have been loving you since your first ATP tour. Your retirement is hard for me and your fans to take in. I feel sad to see you leaving your tennis career. Please, please attend more exhibition matches so that we can still be able to see your exceptional tennis skills!
Thanks for all Rafa😭😭😭
Don’t know what to say.
You are the best…thank you for everything, Rafa! Happy retirement and all the best to you and your family always.❤️
Sad day, knew it was coming… I’ve watched the latest tennis matches and felt nothing while watching. Rafa has no one that can somewhat play similarly to him, he is one of a kind!!! Thank god for You Tube, I can watch old Rafa clips. The best to his family and little Rafa.(Hoping to see pictures in the future)
It’s a pity to see Nadal go out like this. A last final hurrah at Roland Garros would have been more fitting. But then again, he got in 2022 way more than he deserved from a moral standpoint. First at the Australian Open where he showed a total lack of critical thinking skills and said horrible things regarding the imprisonment and deportation of Djokovic, siding with Australia’s fascist government and totally ignoring all the proof (censored by mainstream media) on the side of science regarding the ‘pandemic’ (jabs do not stop transmission, the infection fatality rate was never higher than that of flu, to name a few things), and on the side of human rights (allowing big pharma and big government to take away freedom and forcing people to take the horrific mRNA injections, that keep on taking lives with heart attacks, blood clots and turbo cancers flooding the western vaccinated world). Djokovic’ deportation played a major role in Nadal’s win – he has not even won a set on hard courts against Djokovic since September 2013. Secondly at Roland Garros where Zverev’s ankle accident handed him the SF win (Nadal definitely did not have the upper hand in that match). Bon voyage from here Rafa. Time now to grow as a human being.
Nonsense, even on this post you are very hateful. Stay away
No. This is something you, and many other normies don’t understand. Someone with an opinion you don’t like does not ‘have to go away’ or ‘shut up’ or ‘be censored’, and whatever you think is ‘hateful’ is not forbidden. You think someone should not be allowed to express an opinion because you are hurt, consider it ‘hateful’? People with that approach are the most hateful and intolerant folks in the world. It’s exactly the approach of many Kamala Harris supporters, total fear of discusssion, having a different opinion means you are BAD. They are so tolerant, except for opinions that are different than theirs. “Let’s then quickly put a label on it so that it can be cancelled!”
The essence of freedom of speech. I have my opinion, you may have yours, regardless if that opinion ‘hurts feelings’. I state that the great tennis player Nadal is not perfect, he said terrible, terrible things, and there is no rule (thank God) that says ‘Only praise is allowed’, not in general, and not on this website. He was the greatest clay court player ever, but never the brightest light in the room (not managing to become fluent in English after living on the tour for 20+ years – English the easiest language in the world! – is another example), he also was quite an immature guy for a very long time (living with his mom till far in his 20s, being afraid of the thunder, hiding under the table). A fantastic tennis player, not always the most sportive one (disliked for good reasons by many peers on the tour), and not the saint you want me, and the rest of the commenters here, to pretend him to be. Time for you to become tolerant, stay away from mainstream brainswashing, and for Nadal to educate himself. That’s a great recipe against irrealistic fear and to maintain the freedoms that every human being is born with.
Get a life you spoiled mainstream discrediting brat
Oh my goodness. You need psychological help. Seriously! There’s something very sick and disturbing about people who waste their time on sites just to hate. You are one VERY sad and pathetic individual.
RAFA FOREVER!!! ❤️❤️❤️
To “hate”? What I did is I gave a balanced opinion. What do you is actual expression of sheer dislike, which equals hate. Nothing wrong with that, a bit unnecessary and overly emotional, but as a normy it would be good to get your defining straight and look in the mirror for once. Turn off the TV and Radio for 6 months will help you too. Don’t read newspapers. Or do I need to first explain who owns all those?
Jason, do you ever wonder why Novak Djokovic never got the respect accorded Roger & Rafa? The world over?
Cause the majority of the western world are brainwashed normies who fall for big marketing campaigns of power house brands. The whole persona created around RF for example is a complete farce. He is a totally different person than the image crafted by his handlers. You are unable to think, all your comments are repetitions or different versions of things you heard on TV over and over again
Thank you Rafa for inspiring us.
It is heartbreaking, but we trust your wisdom.
All the best
It’s the right decision, but it’s still a sad day. Life will never be the same again! All the best to Rafa, Mery, little Rafa, and maybe a sibling or two for little Rafa as time goes on.
😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔
Tennis will never be the same. It’s heartbreaking. I see Stan Wawrinka and others his age still playing for love of the game – win or lose – and was hoping Rafa would do the same. NO ONE on the circuit is remotely as talented, entertaining, or humble as Rafa.
In total agreement with tremendous sadness regarding your statement that no one as of yet in the tennis 🎾 world comes close to Rafa on talent, humbleness, excitement. And no one matches his physical beauty.
Adieu King Rafa! All the best!