Tennis great Rafael Nadal lost 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, marking the end of his professional career.
The 38-year-old Rafael Nadal declared last month that he would retire following the competition.
He is among the most decorated tennis players at the end of his career. Nadal began playing professionally in his late teens and has since won two Olympic gold medals, 22 majors (second most ever), and 92 singles titles (fifth most ever).
Nadal is best known for his supremacy on clay, having won a record 14 French Open titles. In 2005, he won his first, starting a run of dominance that saw him win nine of ten French Open finals. He won four straight from 2017 to 2020 after battling ailments, and in 2022 he won his final French Open and major title.
For a large portion of his career, left-handed player Rafael Nadal was a perfect match for Roger Federer, who had won seven major championships prior to Nadal’s maiden French Open victory. (Federer has 20 Grand Slam victories, third only to Rafael Nadal.) Between 2004 and 2019, the two titans faced off 40 times, 24 of which were in tournament finals. With a 24-16 record, including a flawless 6-0 at Roland-Garros, Nadal led the duel.
First, let’s address the obvious: you beat me a lot. Federer, who befriended Nadal in spite of their professional competition, posted on social media, “More than I managed to beat you.” No one else could challenge me the way you did. You made me work harder than I ever imagined I could just to hold my ground on clay, and it felt like I was entering your backyard. You forced me to reconsider how I play, even going so far as to alter the size of my racquet head in the hopes of gaining an advantage.
“I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career,” he continued. When it’s finished, we’ll discuss. I want you to know that your old friend is always rooting for you and will be loudly supporting you in all of your future endeavors.
For the most part, the last 20 years of professional tennis have been dominated by Nadal, Federer, and Novak Djokovic, who has 24 Grand Slam victories. In 60 meetings with Djokovic, Nadal had a 5–4 advantage in the major championships. Overall, Djokovic is ahead of the competition with a 31-29 record.
Later in his career, Nadal, who is renowned for his athletic style of play, suffered injuries. Beginning in 2012, he struggled with ailments to his wrist, knee, hip, abdomen, and feet. He won the French and Australian Opens in 2022, which was his final season with multiple Grand Slam victories.
However, he was ousted in the first round of his most recent French Open and failed to qualify for three of the last four Grand Slams following hip surgery in June 2023.
The numbers and titles are there. Nadal stated on the court during his final match, “I think people are aware of that.” I would prefer to be remembered more as a kindhearted individual from a modest Mallorcan community.
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