MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal is ready to retire from skilled tennis after the ultimate occasion: He can be a part of the Spanish staff within the Davis Cup finals beginning Tuesday in entrance of a house crowd in Malaga.
Nadal, 38, has been on the tour for greater than 20 years and is the second member of males’s tennis’ Large Three to retire. Roger Federer has introduced his retirement in 2022, and Novak Djokovic remains to be nearing the highest of the sport.
“Clearly it is a troublesome resolution, which took me some time to make. However on this life, every thing has a starting and an finish,” mentioned Nadal, who was practising on Friday in Malaga. “And I feel it is the proper time to complete a job that has been happening for a very long time and has been extra profitable than I might have imagined.”
When will Nadal play his final match?
It isn’t clear when Nadal’s last match will come, primarily as a result of the Davis Cup is a staff occasion and what’s now generally known as the “Last 8” begins within the quarterfinals. Spain will begin issues off towards the Netherlands on Tuesday. Win that, and the Spaniards will advance to the semifinals. on Friday towards Canada or Germany (who will face one another on Wednesday). There are two singles matches and one doubles matchup on the subsequent card which is absurd in all this: Nobody is aware of whether or not Nadal can be chosen by the captain of Spain Ferrer, to play singles, doubles, doubles or — theoretically potential, if not potential — as soon as.
Who’re Nadal’s teammates within the Spanish Davis Cup staff?
Nadal was joined in Spain’s record by Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pedro Martinez and four-time Grand Slam champion Marcel Granollers.
Why is Nadal retiring now?
The principle purpose why he is able to transfer ahead is that he has suffered from a sequence of accidents together with a sore foot, belly muscle tissues and a hip drawback that required surgical procedure final season. “The reality is that it has been a troublesome 12 months, particularly the final two,” mentioned Nadal. “I do not assume I’ve been capable of play with out limitations.”
When was Nadal’s final match?
Nadal has not performed a lot within the final two seasons attributable to accidents; he’s solely 12-7 in 2024. His final official competitors wherever got here in early August on the Paris Olympics, the place he misplaced to long-time rival – and eventual gold medalist – Djokovic within the second spherical of singles, and reached the quarterfinals twice on the aspect. Alcaraz earlier than bowing. Nadal additionally performed two exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia final month.
What number of Grand Slam titles has Nadal received?
Nadal finishes with 22 Grand Slam singles titles, behind solely Djokovic’s 24 in tennis historical past, and forward of Federer’s 20. Their record: 14 on the French Open, 4 on the US Open, two at Wimbledon, two on the Australian. Open it. Nadal’s final main match got here in Paris in 2022, when he wanted nerve injections in his left foot.
Has Nadal helped Spain win the Davis Cup earlier than?
Nadal has been a part of the Spanish staff at some stage of the Davis Cup through the 5 years that the nation received the title – in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019. That first title got here after the younger Nadal misplaced to then-No. Second-ranked Andy Roddick as Spain beat US “I am very completely satisfied that my final match would be the Davis Cup last and I am representing my nation,” Nadal mentioned. “I feel I’ve come full circle, as a result of one in all my first joys as an expert tennis participant was the ultimate of the Davis Cup in Seville in 2004.”
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