The world will watch the Davis Cup Finals in November not only to see which team will lift the trophy in Malaga, but also to salute a modern sports legend like Rafael Nadal. The 22-time Grand Slam champion chose this event to say goodbye to the professional tour and sport that made hima global icon.
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After a couple of months of deep reflection, the Spanish legend understood that it was time to retire and start his second life. The 38-year-old from Manacor did everything possible to shine in his farewell tour in 2024, but the results were not up to expectations and the body has given him new signs of wear.
Rafa could not play all the tournaments he would have wanted this year and had to settle for a second role. After his early eliminations at the French Open and the Paris Olympics, Nadal chose to miss the US Open and the Laver Cup in Berlin to decide what his future would be. The Spanish ace will play the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia this week, while it is unclear whether he will also add an official tournament to his schedule ahead of the Davis Cup Finals in November.
A legendary champion
In addition to being a great champion on the tennis court, Rafa has electrified the world with his resilience and ability to become a versatile and competitive player even outside of his beloved red clay. Many athletes and former athletes wanted to pay tribute to one of the best players ever.
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Former ATP ace Andy Roddick has a popular podcast in the US and not just "Served with Andy Roddick" in which he comments on all the major news stories that revolve around the world of tennis. Of course, the former world number 1 and 2003 Us Open champion could not fail to comment in these hours on Rafael Nadals retirement from tennis that will take place after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November. And Roddick has put the emphasis on an aspect that is often overlooked when talking about Nadal who almost unanimously is the greatest player ever on the red clay.
But Roddick considers this statement to be very reductive when it comes to Nadal. Roddick analyzed the situation: "The laziest way to think of Nadal is to say, "Oh, hes a red clay player". " Lets take away the dirt from the speech for a moment, something that with Rafa does not happen often because he won 14 times the Roland Garros".
"Out of the red clay, continues Roddick, Nadal has won as many Grand Slam titles as he has won in his career such as two legends like Americans Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors (8), and has won one more than John McEnroe (7). They are absolute icons of our sport. So, following this analysis, I think it is not correct to define Rafa only a player from the red clay. Because even though he is the greatest player in history on red clay, its much more than that," concluded the former American tennis player.
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The last dance
The former world number 1 will try to help his Spain win the 2024 edition of the Davis Cup, with the help of his young compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. It is still unclear whether Rafa will play only doubles or even singles, will depend on his physical condition before the event as revealed by Spanish captain David Ferrer.
In a recent interview with Eurosport, ATP legend and top analystBoris Becker paid tribute to the Spaniard: "I think the decision is the right one. What hasn't Rafa achieved? He held the world number one spot for 209 weeks, finished the year as number one in the rankings five times. Among his 22 Grand Slam titles, there are 14 Roland Garros. He also won all the other Grand Slams at least twice. These are unreal numbers.
He continued: "Then you have to look at his rivals. Federer is one, Djokovic as well, so the end of the Big 3 is near. I met Rafael Nadal personally many decades ago when he was fourteen or fifteen years old. His uncle Toni introduced me to him. Back then, Rafa also played his forehand with two hands. I was amazed at that moment.
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What really stands out is what sets him apart: his unwavering attitude, his ambition, his motivation, his eagerness to fight. The fact that he was always willing to go one step further than the others. It was incredible how many balls he chased after, and in the end, he always played until the end.
