Rafael Nadal retires from tennis

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal will retire from the sport after the upcoming Davis Cup finals.

The 38-year-old star won 22 Grand Slams throughout his career, including a remarkable 14 French Opens on clay, prompting commentators to dub him the “King of the Clay”. He has also won 36 Masters tournaments and Olympic gold and was considered one of the “Big Three” alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic during the sport's golden age, which lasted two decades.

Nadal announced his retirement in a social media post today, noting that his recent injuries, which have significantly reduced his playing time, partly led to the decision.

After taking a deep breath, Nadal looks into the camera and says in Spanish: “Hello everyone. I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that there have been some difficult years, particularly the last two. I don’t think I could play without restrictions.”

He noted that this was a “difficult” decision that he had been thinking about for some time. “It is the right time to end a career that has been long and much more successful than I could ever have imagined.

He will end his career after the upcoming Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month.

Nadal entered the tennis scene at the age of 18, won the French Open and later became a multiple Grand Slam winner and world number one. His rivalries with Federer and Djovokic have defined the game in the 21st century.

Federer sent a message and wrote: “What a career Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It was an absolute honor.”

A four-part Prime Video series about Nadal's world-famous tennis academy was released worldwide in December last year.