Tennis legend and 22-time Grand Slam champion announces retirement date

Rafael Nadal, one of the most accomplished and successful players in the history of men's professional tennis, will retire from the sport at the end of the year, he announced Thursday.

Nadal, 38, shared the news of his impending retirement in a social media post.

“I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in a video statement posted on X. “The reality is that it's been a difficult few years, especially these two. “I don't think I've been able to play without restrictions. It's obviously a difficult decision that will take me some time.

“But in this life everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it is the right time to end a career that has been long and much more successful than I could ever have imagined,” he added.

Nadal, a Spaniard who made his professional tennis debut in 2001 at the age of 15, won his first Grand Slam title at the 2005 French Open. From then on, Nadal won 14 of 18 French Open titles and became known as the “King of Clay” for his dominance on the red clay courts at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

In total, Nadal has won 22 Grand Slams, including 14 French Open titles, four US Open titles and two first-place finishes each at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He also won an Olympic gold medal for Spain in men's singles at the 2008 Olympics and men's doubles at the 2016 Olympics.

Nadal will play his final tennis match for his native Spain at the Davis Cup, which will be played November 19-21 in Malaga, Spain.

“I am very happy that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup final and I will represent my country,” Nadal said in his video. “I think I've come full circle since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I've been able to experience. I would like to thank the entire tennis industry.”