Nadal won 92 titles and prize money worth $135 million in two decades as a professional tennis player
By Kehinde Okeowo
Spanish tennis star, Rafael Nadal will retire from the sport at the end of this season after representing his country at next month’s Davis Cup finals in Malaga.
He made this known on Thursday via a video message he shared on the Internet.
His announcement followed a career that brought 22 Grand Slam titles, global respect, and inspired epic, iconic rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Speaking via his verified social media page, Nadal said, “I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially.
“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.”
With the impending retirement, the 38-year-old is set to end his two decades as a professional with 92 titles and prize money alone of $135 million.
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During the period, he dominated the French Open where he won 14 of his majors, his first arriving just days after his 19th birthday in 2005, his last in 2022 making him the event’s oldest champion.
On the whole Nadal lost just three times in 115 matches while playing at Roland Garros.
He was also a four-time champion at the US Open and a two-time winner at the Australian Open, his first triumph coming in 2009; his second 13 years later.
Nadal also won Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010 despite grass considered to be the surface most likely to expose any shortcomings in his game.
He further claimed a career Golden Slam when he took Olympic Games gold in 2008 and won five Davis Cups.