'Your legacy will live forever' – Djokovic & Federer lead tributes to retiring Nadal
Rafael Nadal is described as a “legend” and “one of the greatest of all time” after the tennis icon confirms he will retire at the end of this season.
Rafael Nadal is described as a “legend” and “one of the greatest of all time” after the tennis icon confirms he will retire at the end of this season.
Rafael Nadal announced his upcoming retirement Thursday, stating that next month’s Davis Cup Finals will be his final event.
“Hello everyone, I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal in Spanish in a video posted on social media. “The reality is it 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.”
[ATP APP]The Spanish icon held World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for 209 weeks, sixth-most since the rankings’ inception in 1973. Nadal earned ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours five times.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “Rafa’s impact on tennis is immeasurable. For over two decades, he brought unmatched tenacity and grit to every match. His fierce competitive spirit and iconic rivalries during one of the sport’s greatest eras captivated fans around the world. He elevated the game and inspired millions to pick up a racquet.
“Rafa’s achievements are nothing short of historic — he won it all. His record at Roland-Garros, in particular, will likely never be eclipsed. But what stands out most is his character. Humble, authentic, and always gracious, he earned the deep respect of players, fans, and everyone involved in tennis. His multiple sportsmanship awards reflect the class he has shown throughout his career, on and off the court.
Gracias Rafa, #RafaSiempre ❤️ pic.twitter.com/m7NXorFaNx
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 10, 2024
Nadal was a member of the ATP Player Advisory Council from 2010-12 and 2019-22. The Spaniard has impacted countless lives through his Rafa Nadal Foundation, which received the Laureus Sport For Good Award this year.
Gaudenzi added: “Rafa’s contributions extended beyond the court as well. His work on the ATP Player Advisory Council for many years has helped serve the sport and its future. As we look forward to his farewell at the Davis Cup, we know his legacy will live on for generations. Rafa, thank you for everything — you will be greatly missed on Tour.”
The 38-year-old was the first men’s player in history to complete the career Grand Slam twice and won 22 major championships overall, only trailing Novak Djokovic (24). The Spaniard earned two Australian Open crowns, 14 Roland-Garros trophies, two Wimbledon titles and four US Open victories.
His 14 Coupe des Mousquetaires alone give him more major titles than all but three other men (Djokovic, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras) in history. The Spaniard tallied a 112-4 record at the clay-court major, one of the most dominant efforts in all of sport.
Nadal owns many records, including most clay-court titles in the Open Era (63). He captured an ATP Tour title in 19 consecutive seasons from 2004-22 and maintained a Top 10 PIF ATP Ranking for 912 straight weeks from 25 April 2005 through 19 March 2023.
The 92-time titlist has earned 1,080 tour-level wins during his illustrious career, the fourth-most victories on record behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274), Roger Federer (1,251) and Djokovic (1,122).
The Mallorcan qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals 17 times, earning his place at the season finale every year from 2005 through 2020, as well as in 2022.
The lefty excelled at ATP Masters 1000 events, claiming 36 titles at the elite level. His 410 Masters 1000 wins are the most in the series’ history (since 1990).
Nadal is the winner of 15 ATP Tour Awards: ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF (2008, ‘10, ‘13, ‘17, ‘19), the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award (2011), Comeback Player of the Year (2013), the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship (2010, ‘18-21), Most Improved Player of the Year (2005), Newcomer of the Year (2003) and Fans’ Favourite (2022). He is also a two-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2011 and 2021). The lefty claimed Laureus’ World Breakthrough of the Year in 2006 and Comeback of the Year in 2014.
He won two Olympic gold medals, earning singles glory in Beijing in 2008 and doubles gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 with Marc Lopez.
The Spaniard climbed to the top of the sport for the first time aged 22, reaching World No. 1 on 18 August 2008. He once held top spot for 56 consecutive weeks (7 June 2010-3 July 2011) and was most recently World No. 1 in February 2020.
“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal said. “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.”
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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have battled fiercely on the tennis court for nearly two decades, yet their rivalry transcends mere competition. There is a deep mutual respect between the two legends, a sentiment Djokovic captured perfectly in a social media tribute to Nadal, who on Thursday announced that he will retire in November.
“One post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport,” Djokovic wrote. “You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably the greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit is going to be taught for decades.”
Rafa, one post is not enough to express the respect I have for you and what you have done for our sport. You have inspired millions of children to start playing tennis and I think that’s probably greatest achievement anyone can wish for. Your tenacity, dedication, fighting spirit… pic.twitter.com/HO9kUkyccN
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 10, 2024
Both former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic and Nadal have contested countless epic showdowns, often lasting hours and testing the physical limits and mental endurance of both players. Djokovic and Nadal have met a record 60 times, with the Serbian holding a 31-29 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
It is one of the greatest rivalries not only in tennis, but in sports.
“Your legacy will live forever,” Djokovic added. “Only you know what you had to endure to become an icon of tennis and sport in general. Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry that has impacted me the most as a player.”
The 38-year-old Nadal will compete in his final professional event at the Davis Cup Finals, to be held in Malaga, Spain from 19-24 November.
“Your passion for representing Spain has always been remarkable,” Djokovic said. “I wish you the best possible farewell in Malaga with the Davis Cup team of Spain. I will be there in person to pay respect to your stellar career.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Carlos Alcaraz admits to have had no response to the blistering tennis thrown at him Thursday by Tomas Machac, who upset the World No. 2 in the quarter-finals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Alcaraz’s 12-match winning streak came to an abrupt end in a 7-6(5), 7-5 defeat at the hands of Machac, who claimed his second win over a Top-5 player (Djokovic, Geneva SF). It was a winning streak that included the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash at the Davis Cup last month, in which Machac was forced to retire at one set apiece.
As he did when representing Czechia, Machac took the opening set in a tie-break in Shanghai, but the 23-year-old made no mistake of closing it out in straight sets, exuding extreme confidence throughout.
Czech this out! 🤯
Machac downs Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Shanghai, where he will face Sinner!@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/kabm9UMx6U
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 10, 2024
“I felt like I was playing against a Top-5 player,” said Alcaraz, who suffered his first defeat since his second-round exit at the US Open. “Not even Top 10, no, Top 5. His level was so high. I thought that he was going to give me an opportunity, a window, but he didn’t.
“From the first game until the last one, his level was so high. His ball speed, it was unbelievable. Honestly, I felt good on the court, I felt the ball really well, I was hitting well, I was moving well. But, at some points, I didn’t know what to do.”
Alcaraz showed signs of a second-set fightback after he had retrieved the break back, but Machac kept his foot on the gas to dismantle the Spaniard’s serve for a second time before serving out the victory with ease.
“It was unbelievable, it was crazy for me,” added Alcaraz. “He was pushing me to the limit all the time that I was thinking that I had to put the right ball in the right place all the time. If not, I was going to run everywhere, or he was going to make a winner. So I think that the pressure he put [on] me was the key in the match.”
Alcaraz, who has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, is next scheduled to play the Rolex Paris Masters after slipping to 51-10 on the season.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]BBC Sport looks at the statistics behind the Rafael Nadal’s success after the 22-time Grand Slam champion announces his retirement.
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller on Rafael Nadal’s enduring rivalry with Roger Federer and his legacy in the tennis world.
World number one Jannik Sinner praises Rafael Nadal after the Spanish legend announced he will retire from tennis later this year.
World number two Carlos Alcaraz suffers a shock defeat to an inspired Tomas Machac in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals.
BBC Sport pays tribute to Rafael Nadal’s incredible career and looks back at the 2008 Wimbledon final, after the 22-time Grand Slam winner announced he will be retiring at the end of the season.