Adios, Rafa! Nadal announces retirement

November 19-24 and Spain's Davis Cup matches will enter the history as the professional appearance on the tennis court of the legendary Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard posted a farewell video on his social media announcing retirement alongside the message: "Many thanks to all," wrote Rafa in 12 different languages.

Considering his recent injury problems, this decision could have even come earlier. It was believed that the 2024 Paris Olympic Games would be Nadal's ultimate tournament, but he opted to represent his country one last time at the Davis Cup Final 8 tournament in Malaga. Hence, one of the greatest tennis players of all time will have a chance to say goodbye to the sport to which he dedicated his life in his homeland.

"Hello everyone, I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that is has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don't think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But 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. But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I've come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004," started Nadal.

The 38-year-old then went on to thank all the people involved in his 23-year-long career.

"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-time 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. Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me because in the end my team has been a very important part of my life. They are not just co-workers, they are friends. They have been by my side at all the times I have really needed them. Very bad moments, very good moments, moments when I had to be pushed, moments they gave me more slack. We have lived so much together that it is hard to explain. "

Family, of course, got the special place in his message.

"My family is everything to me. My mother, I think she has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we would always have everything. My wife, Mery, we've been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done. I think you have been the perfect travel companion during all these years of my career. To come home and see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue. My sister, I think we have always had an incredible relationship. My uncle, who is the reason I started playing tennis. I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sporting career. And to my father, who I believe has been a source of inspiration for me in every sense of the word. I think he has been an example of effort, of overcoming. Many, many thanks to my father in a very, very special way. "

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Rafa also thanked the numerous fans who have always been enormous support to him.

"And finally, you, the fans. I can't thank you enough for what you have made me feel. You have given me the energy I have needed at every moment. Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way. I can only end by saying a thousand thanks to all and see you soon. Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with absolute peace of mind having given my best, of having made an effort in every way. I can only end by saying a thousands thanks to all and see you soon," said Nadal.

Rafael Nadal turned pro in 2001 and won his first Grand Slam trophy four years later at Roland-Garros - the tournament that marked his career and which he won a record 14 times (no play has ever won one Grand Slam more times) with 116 wins and only four defeats. In 2008, he became the world No. 1 for the first time in his career. He spent 209 weeks leading the ATP rankings, being the sixth in that statistical category.

Nadal won 22 major tournaments (two fewer than the all-time leader Novak Djokovic) and 92 ATP titles in total. In addition, he won two Olympic Gold Medals - in 2008 in Beijing in singles and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro in doubles with Marc Lopez - as well as five Davis Cup titles with Spain (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019).

In the end, Nadal's legacy won't be measured just by the number of trophies. He will be remembered as part of the greatest trio (alongside Djokovic and Roger Federer) tennis has ever seen. He was one of the players who completely transformed tennis, increased its popularity to the highest limits, and finally gave us some of the biggest rivalries not just in tennis but in sport in general.

Thank you, Rafa! Enjoy your retirement.