Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, has announced his retirement from professional tennis. The 38-year-old Spaniard confirmed he will step away from the sport after representing Spain in the Davis Cup Finals this November in Málaga.
In a video message, the tennis legend cited ongoing physical challenges as a key reason for his decision. "Hello everyone. I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially I don't think I've been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make," Nadal said.
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He continued, "But in this life, everything has a beginning and 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. But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country."
Nadal expressed gratitude for his experiences, saying, "I think I've come full circle since one of my great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Sevilla in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I've been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry. All the people involved in this sport, my long-term colleagues, especially my great rivals, I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Nadal has been named in Spain's squad to face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, scheduled for November 19-21. His inclusion comes after he recovered from an injury that sidelined him during the group stage. This marks Nadal's first appearance since the Paris Olympics earlier this year, where he competed in both singles and doubles but faced disappointment, losing to Novak Djokovic in singles and falling short alongside Carlos Alcaraz in doubles.