After some hesitation, Rafael Nadal, 38, announced his retirement at the end of the season. It is always a great sport, and a world star leaves the field. The scene hangs – and suggests its decision.
There are things in life that everyone expects – even though you don’t want to see or hear them. For the unique tennis player Rafael Nadal, it was only a matter of time before he declared the logical end of his career. On Thursday the time had come: The 38-year-old Spaniard and 22-time Grand Slam winner was putting his racket away at the end of the season. A sports icon is leaving.
It was also a movement and not the clumsy postponement of resignation that is so often the case. Nadal is therefore taking the final round of this year’s Davis Cup from November 19 to 24 in Malaga. Rush is a sure ticket, it will serve last time. For Spain, the tennis world. It is his last big step.
Once, in Paris
There are exceptional talents that you have to see play once. And without a doubt Nadal is one of them, and there was only one place: Paris. In Roland Garros, where he won 14 times and made history as it was. His performances in August at the 2024 Olympics drew crowds and, despite the scorching heat, gave him stunners. Aura, moment, myth: it was great to see. And yet he was moving because he had been exhausted for a long time, was not in control of all his strength and was visibly in pain. It is clear that he himself wanted to see this sand, “his” center court, again.
In a video he explained his retirement from professional sport as follows: “They were difficult years, especially the last two,” said the 92-time ATP tournament winner. “I don’t think I’ve been able to play without restrictions lately. This is the right time to leave.” He had already announced in May of the previous year that he wanted to end his glorious career in 2024. He only left the expiry date open, for himself and for all the speculation that he could continue, on for at least a season, somehow despite the pain.
Brand new forehand
Asking for the right time to jump is a mistake that too many people make. To prevent it from happening to him too, friend and long-time opponent Roger Federer also intervened. “Time eats you up. In the end, it might help to make a decision at some point. And then when it’s over, you’re just relaxed. And say: Oh, luckily there’s no training, luckily there’s no more games.”
How many times has Nadal stopped competing for reasons of fitness, pain (Müller-Weiss syndrome), injuries or self-doubt? This year alone, at the US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open, something was always a little off and the left hander, who hit a two-handed backhand like no other and his forehand was cutting edge, let many people share his will, his. way back and the “cultivation of his own body”. Now the biggest winner is the son of Rafael Junior and his wife Xisca Perello.
14 victories at the French Open, four victories in the “Big Apple”, twice each in Wimbledon and Melbourne, there was no doubt about the all-encompassing effects of the “Bull from Manacor”. He was number 1 in the world for 209 weeks, all the prize money and millions from advertising were money well spent. Along with Federer and the Serbian Djoković, Nadal formed the “Big Three” that dominated men’s tennis for almost two decades. Now other people come into play: Jannik Sinner, doped or not. Carlos Alcaraz. Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The generation change
As an Austrian you must cry. Nadal met Dominic Thiem, who will also retire from tennis in Vienna at the end of October, 16 times. Thiem won six duels, the last in 2020 at the ATP Finals. It’s hard to imagine what could be better now than it was back then, when these three took every ball stop seriously.
The “king of the clay court” resigns. Late, but still – with your own decision. “My life and my body have been sending me signals for a long time,” Nadal admitted. The grandson of a Spanish sailor and the nephew of a Barcelona footballer,
The sound of these loud axes on dull sand will never be forgotten by anyone who saw it live.
» I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for your incredible achievements in the game we love. It was an absolute honor.”
Roger Federer
» Of course it’s a difficult decision that took me a while to make. But in this world everything has a beginning and an end.”
Rafael Nadal
