 "End of an Era! Rafael Nadal retires after illustrious career | VIDEO")
In a poignant moment at the Davis Cup in Málaga, Rafael Nadal’s eyes welled with tears as Spain’s national anthem played. Standing alongside his teammates, the 22-time Grand Slam champion likely knew this could be his last professional match. Hours later, that reality came to pass as Nadal’s 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands marked the end of his illustrious career. Spain’s quarterfinal elimination solidified the moment.
An Emotional Ceremony for a Tennis Icon
Post-match, the sold-out Palacio de Deportes erupted in chants of "Raaa-faaa" as a tribute video highlighted Nadal’s two-decade journey. Recorded messages from Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and other sports icons, including David Beckham, added to the emotional farewell. "I hope to be remembered as a good person from a small village in Mallorca," Nadal told the adoring crowd.
A battle of emotions on Court*
Despite attempting to focus on the competition, Nadal admitted struggling with nerves. His performance showed glimpses of brilliance, with signature "Vamos!" moments and relentless effort. Yet, signs of wear from injuries, including hip surgery in 2023, were evident. He lost his first Davis Cup match in 2004 and, fittingly, his last, joking, “We close the circle.”
Legacy Beyond Tennis
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Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, captured the sentiment: “We will miss you a lot.” Nadal’s relentless playing style and humility made him a national hero, transcending tennis. As fans waved “Gracias, Rafa!” scarves, Nadal reflected, "I’m not tired of tennis, but my body doesn’t want to play anymore. I feel privileged to have made a career out of my hobby."
Full list of Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam titles
Rafael Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam titles and 14 of them have been French Open. Here's a list of Nadal's Grand Slam titles
| Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| 2005 | French Open | Clay | Mariano Puerta | 6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 |
| 2006 | French Open (2) | Clay | Roger Federer | 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4) |
| 2007 | French Open (3) | Clay | Roger Federer | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2008 | French Open (4) | Clay | Roger Federer | 6–1, 6–3, 6–0 |
| 2008 | Wimbledon | Grass | Roger Federer | 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7 |
| 2009 | Australian Open | Hard | Roger Federer | 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 3–6, 6–2 |
| 2010 | French Open (5) | Clay | Robin Söderling | 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2010 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass | Tomáš Berdych | 6–3, 7–5, 6–4 |
| 2010 | US Open | Hard | Novak Djokovic | 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 2011 | French Open (6) | Clay | Roger Federer | 7–5, 7–6(7–3), 5–7, 6–1 |
| 2012 | French Open (7) | Clay | Novak Djokovic | 6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5 |
| 2013 | French Open (8) | Clay | David Ferrer | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 2013 | US Open (2) | Hard | Novak Djokovic | 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
| 2014 | French Open (9) | Clay | Novak Djokovic | 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2017 | French Open (10) | Clay | Stan Wawrinka | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 2017 | US Open (3) | Hard | Kevin Anderson | 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2018 | French Open (11) | Clay | Dominic Thiem | 6–4, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 2019 | French Open (12) | Clay | Dominic Thiem | 6–3, 5–7, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 2019 | US Open (4) | Hard | Daniil Medvedev | 7–5, 6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 2020 | French Open (13) | Clay | Novak Djokovic | 6–0, 6–2, 7–5 |
| 2022 | Australian Open (2) | Hard | Daniil Medvedev | 2–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 |
| 2022 | French Open (14) | Clay | Casper Ruud | 6–3, 6–3, 6–0 |