Rafael Nadal will finally call time on his legendary tennis career once the Davis Cup Finals finish next month.
Nadal has decided to hang up his racket after a stunning journey on the court, which includes 22 Grand Slam titles.
The Spaniard has unsurprisingly received countless messages of support following his decision, with fellow legend Boris Becker messaging Nadal on social media.
Also messaging Nadal was Cristiano Ronaldo, with the former’s phenomenal exploits reaching well beyond the realms of tennis.
He will retire with 92-tour level titles to his name, with the Spaniard having won a record 14 French Open titles.
Chris Evert makes tennis claim after Rafael Nadal announces retirement
Nadal will be eyeing one last success at the Davis Cup Finals, with the 38-year-old set to be joined in Malaga by fellow star Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz will be keen on filling the void left by his compatriot in the years to come, but another tennis icon in Chris Evert is certain that Nadal is leaving a massive hole in the sport with his retirement.
“Thank you Rafael Nadal for the stellar years of lifting tennis up to the warrior level, for your unmatched sportsmanship and humility, for never changing as a person despite all your success,” she wrote on X.
“There will be a gaping hole in tennis now because there has never been anyone like you… Good luck to you.”
Rafael Nadal to close the curtain on his phenomenal career
Nadal will follow in the footsteps of Andy Murray in hanging up his racket in 2024, with the Scot having retired after the Paris Olympics.
His decision certainly represents the end of a remarkable era of tennis, with the Spaniard having dominated the French Open in particular.
It also represents the second domino to fall in the so-called ‘Big Three’, with Roger Federer calling time on his career in 2022.
READ MORE: What Rafael Nadal told Spain captain David Ferrer about playing at the Davis Cup
Novak Djokovic is, however, going strong, with the Serbian undoubtedly eager on extending his lead in the Grand Slam titles list.
He sits top of the pile with 24 major titles, with Nadal second on 22 and Federer third on 20, with the trio not in any danger of being overtaken anytime soon.
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