Rafael Nadal has officially announced when he will retire from tennis.
A day that seemed inevitable, but hurts all the same, the 37-year-old has suffered with unrelenting injury problems for years now.
Having won it all, and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, his continued presence within the sport felt more comforting than triumphant.
Carlos Alcaraz hinted at Nadal’s retirement coming at the Davis Cup, but there was hope that his young compatriot might have been wrong.
After all, it felt like he would never leave… but all good things must come to an end.
Rafael Nadal announces retirement from tennis
And, that is exactly what he is doing. Bringing his time on the court to an end.
In an emotional interview, released on his social media, he spoke emotionally about the stunning career he enjoyed.
From historic battles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, to teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz at the Olympics, aiding the future of tennis, there is nothing left for him to regret.
He would claim: ‘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.’
His last professional event will now officially be the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month, as Spain will hope to overcome the Netherlands to set up a clash with Germany or Canada.
Ironically enough, Nadal send a retirement message to Dominic Thiem earlier this month. He’ll hope to now receive one back.
Novak Djokovic remains the last man standing from the Big Three
With Rafael Nadal‘s announcement, he will join Federer on the sidelines as a retired legend of the sport.
That leaves just Djokovic left out of the famed Big Three currently playing, which should come as no surprise given he was the youngest.
However, the difference between him and Nadal is his physicality, born of both fortune and hard work.
The heavy impact of his high-octane play style was always bound to have an earlier expiry date, as he furiously sped through the early parts of his career with immense power and finesse.
Just when Federer asserted his dominance, he emerged to disrupt the masterful Swiss superstar. And, even in the face of even greater adversity shown when Djokovic entered the scene, Nadal kept on winning.
He will leave behind a legacy unlike any other in the sport, and tennis will be much worse off without him in it.
At least now, this legend can enjoy a well-earned rest, as he waltzes into retirement.
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