Rafael Nadal will end his glorious career at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November. The 22-time Major winner decided to end his tennis journey in the national jersey, playing professional tennis for 23 years and giving everything to our sport.
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Rafa's great friend and rival, Roger Federer, reacted to the Spaniard's retirement post, admitting he hoped this day would never come. The Swiss thanked fellow legend for incredible achievements and memories, confessing that sharing this journey with him was an absolute honor.
Rafa and Roger played their first duels in March 2004, embracing one of the greatest rivalries of our sport while always respecting each other. Almost two decades after the beginning of their rivalry, Nadal welcomed Federer at his home in Manacor, spending a delightful day with his longtime rival and friend.
The duo engaged in 40 memorable duels between 2004 and 2019, battling in numerous finals on the most notable scene and writing tennis history.
Federer suffered a knee injury at the beginning of 2020 and played his last singles match at Wimbledon a year later.
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The Swiss maestro retired at the 2022 Laver Cup while competing alongside the Spaniard. Roger asked Rafa to play with him, and the Spaniard could not refuse, traveling to London despite an injury and making Federer's farewell even more impressive and emotional.
Two legends battled against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock at packed O2 Arena and suffered a tight 4-6, 6-2, 11-9 loss after squandering a match point. Result aside, it was one of the most emotional nights in tennis history, with Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and many others honoring the great Swiss and his incredible career.
Roger embraced a heartfelt post-match ceremony, thanking his teammates on the bench and crying with Rafa. Like the Swiss, the Spaniard can not end his career on his terms, struggling to recover for over two years and deciding to stop at 38 and focus on his family.
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Roger Federer shared an emotional message with Rafael Nadal.
Nadal missed all the 2023 action after the Australian Open, undergoing surgery and starting a comeback in the second part of the year.
Showing progress in the gym and practice court, the veteran returned to action in Brisbane at the beginning of 2024. Rafa is 12-7 this year, playing one final but never recovering his well-known game. Standing outside the top-600, Nadal made a promising comeback in Brisbane, beating Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler and reaching the quarter-final.
The veteran battled against Jordan Thompson for three and a half hours, blowing three match points and experiencing a massive setback. Rafa felt the pain around his troubled hip, missing the Australian Open and training ahead of Doha and Indian Wells.
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Nadal experienced another injury in February, feeling the pain in his abdominal muscle and extending his break until April. One hundred days after his previous match, Rafa entered the competition in Barcelona and fell in the second round.
He played better in Madrid, beating three rivals but failing to reach the quarter-final. The king of clay suffered an early loss in Rome, standing powerless against Hubert Hurkacz and not liking his chances at Roland Garros.
The 14-time champion faced Alexander Zverev in the first round and gave everything in a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 defeat in three hours and five minutes. The Spaniard had a chance to take the second set, serving for it but allowing the German to pull the break back and gain a boost.
Alexander sealed the deal in the third set, delivering Rafa's earliest Roland Garros defeat. Nadal missed the grass swing and entered the ATP 250 event in Bastad ahead of the Olympic Games. Competing in Sweden for the first time since winning the title in 2005, the Spaniard stopped the clock and passed four rivals, advancing to his first ATP final in over two years.
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Rafa battled with Mariano Navone for almost four hours and passed another obstacle before losing steam ahead of the final, falling to Nuno Borges in straight sets.
Nadal injured his right thigh, missing a couple of practice sessions in Paris ahead of his final Olympic Games.
The veteran beat Marton Fucsovics in the opening round, arranging his 60th clash against his greatest rival, Novak Djokovic. The Serb built a massive 6-1, 4-0 lead before the Spaniard found his strokes, earning a double break and locking the result at 4-4, giving the crowd on court Philippe-Chatrier something to cheer about.
Djokovic stayed focused and claimed the last two games, ending Nadal's campaign. Rafa joined forces with Carlos Alcaraz and played well in the doubles draw. The Spaniards reached the quarter-final and fell to Krajicek and Ram in straight sets, ending their Olympic Games gold medal dreams.
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Nadal withdrew from the US Open and the Laver Cup, training at home and preparing for the final event of his career. Two decades after leading Spain toward the Davis Cup title, Rafa will return to the red jersey, joining his teammates in Malaga and embracing the final chapter of his incredible career.
"What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honor! " Roger Federer said.
