Tennis fans were in mourning on Thursday as Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis legend, announced that he would retire after the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month. In a video posted on social media, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles was teary-eyed. “I am here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal. “The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially. I do not think I have been able to play without limitations.”
It has been a very emotional last two years for Nadal. The harder he tried to make comebacks, the more difficult they became. For someone who defined what it meant to be in peak shape physically, age had caught up. At 38, he was trying everything possible in terms of strengthening and rehab to be ready, but it did not work. For a man who played an extremely physical game, the last two years were tough. He broke down in 2023 and took most of the year off, but the planned comeback in 2024 was worse. He wanted to do well at the Paris Olympics, but that also became a painful ordeal.
Left with no options, Nadal was pensive. When he requested the Spanish Tennis Federation to be included in the Davis Cup squad, it became clear that he was contemplating how to call time on his career. His ATP ranking was in freefall, and to restore some balance was tough. Like many more before him, Nadal did not rush toa decision on retirement, but the announcement on Thursday was well-timed. He knew that to play ATP events and lose to tyros would have been embarrassing. It was better to leave as a champion.
For those fortunate to have watched Nadal, his magic on clay was peerless. To win 14 French Open titles was scarcely believable. Nobody will ever match it, and that is the legacy Nadal leaves behind. His game revolved around fantastic court coverage, muscle behind each shot and the killer instinct with which he destroyed opponents. Once hisfitness levels dropped, Nadal became increasingly desperate. If he thought rehab throughout 2023 would help him, then this year was no better. To return in 2025 would have been impossible.
When people remember a champion, they usually recall the golden moments. His magic was sublime, and as a left-hander, Nadal was able to create angles which few dared attempt. For him to tear apart the clay-court-specialist tag and win Wimbledon twice was also defining. In the recent context, Nadal winning the Australian Open and the Frenchin 2022 was testament to how hard he played. When he came once to Chennai for an ATP event over 15 years ago, he was a fan’s delight. He posed for photos, was never impatient, and he smiled. These traits made people in Chennai fall in love with him, just as they had with Patrick Rafter when he came to the city.
Nadal knows Spanish tennis is in safe hands, with Carlos Alcaraz in top form this year. In all probability, his last match will be in tandem with Alcarazin the Davis Cup final. Tears? They are already flowing.
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Nearly a decade ago, he told me that injuries were part and parcel of the athlete’s life. Now, as he walks into retirement, Boria Majumdar recalls a conversation with Rafael Nadal, where his modesty came to the fore.@BoriaMajumdar ✍️#rafaelnadal https://t.co/3CebpZTvS7
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 10, 2024
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