‘I have left a legacy’: The great Rafael Nadal bids final farewell to professional tennis at the Davis Cup
The undisputed ‘King of Clay’, 22-time grand slam winner and all-time great Rafael Nadal has played his final professional tennis match at age 38. His most memorable Grand Slam finals recounted here.
Rafael Nadal said he has left both a sporting and personal legacy after retiring from professional tennis on Tuesday at the Davis Cup.
The 38-year-old was beaten in the opening singles rubber of the quarter-finals as Netherlands defeated Spain 2-1 to reach the final four.
Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, including an astonishing 14 French Opens, enjoyed a glittering and historic career over the past 23 years.
“I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one but a personal one,” Nadal told fans in Malaga in a speech during a ceremony to honour his retirement.
“I understand that the love I have received, if it was just for what happened on the court, would not be the same.” Nadal paid credit to many who have helped him along the way, including his uncle Toni Nadal, who coached him as a child and for a large part of his career.
“The titles, the numbers are there, so people probably know that, but the way that I would like to be remembered more is like a good person, from a small village in Mallorca,” continued Nadal.
“I had the luck that I had my uncle that was a tennis coach in my village when I was a very, very small kid, and a great family that supports me in every moment …
“I just want to be remembered as a good person, a kid that followed their dreams and achieved (even) more than what I had dreamt.” Nadal was celebrated with a video montage on the many screens around the Martin Carpena arena in Malaga where over 10,000 fans saw his career come to a close.
Former rival Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and other tennis greats left messages in the video, alongside former Spanish football stars including Raul and Andres Iniesta, who retired from playing in October.
For your fighting spirit.
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 19, 2024
For your humility and kindness.
For everything you’ve done for tennis.
Gracias, Rafa. pic.twitter.com/tDicj5KUI5
“I leave the world of professional tennis having encountered many good friends along the way,” said Nadal in his emotional speech.
The Spaniard said he hoped to be a “good ambassador” for tennis in the years to come and was not afraid to begin his retirement.
“I am calm because I have received an education to take on what is coming next,” he explained.
“I have a great family around me who help me with everything that I need every day.”
Six memorable Rafael Nadal Grand Slam finals
2005 French Open
Nadal beat Mariano Puerta 6-7 (7/6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 — The one that started it all.
Nadal came in as an 18-year-old left-hander on the rise, with a huge topspin forehand and expectations to match.
He won all three clay-court lead-up tournaments, in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome and there was a buzz growing around Nadal as he took to court in a sleeveless shirt, prowling like a young matador.
He blasted through the draw taking out Richard Gasquet, Sebastien Grosjean and David Ferrer.
But the real test came in the semi-final against world number one Federer. It was Nadal’s 19th birthday and he won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Little-known Puerta of Argentina, ranked 37, was dispatched in a four-set final and Nadal would not lose another match on the Paris clay until 2009.
2008 Wimbledon Final
Nadal beat Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (7/5), 6-7 (10/8), 9-7 — A match that is widely remembered as one of the greatest tennis contests of all time, went to Nadal after an incredible four hours, 48 minutes of action.
Scheduled for a 2pm start, the final began late because of rain, had two more rain delays, and ended in light so bad that the Hawk-Eye line-calling system had ceased to work.
Federer clawed back a two-set deficit and saved two match points in the fourth set to take it the distance.
The sheer quality of tennis was like nothing seen before until Federer finally erred, finding the net at 9:21pm to hand Nadal, who fell on his back onto the grass in relief, his first Wimbledon triumph.
2009 Australian Open Final
Nadal beat Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2 — Nadal again came out on top against Federer, this time in a five-set, four-and-a-half-hour thriller.
Unbelievably, the match started less than 24 hours after Nadal had played for five hours and 14 minutes to beat countryman Fernando Verdasco in a five-set semi-final.
Nadal’s incredible feat of recovery and stamina delayed Federer from tying Pete Sampras’s then record of 14 Grand Slam titles, and gave Nadal his first Australian Open.
2012 Australian Open Final
Nadal lost to Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 — One of four Australian Open final defeats for Nadal, but a true epic that will be forever etched in the memory.
The match was the ultimate test of endurance and skill as it unfolded over five hours and 53 minutes of tennis of the highest quality between the world number one Djokovic and second-ranked Nadal.
When it finally ended at 1:37am Monday local time — the longest Grand Slam final in history — both players were almost out on their feet.
The pair traded brutal blows all night — one energy-draining 31-shot rally caused Djokovic to fall at the end and Nadal to tumble over the sidelines.
“This one was very special,” Nadal said. “Not because I lost, no, because of the way that we played.” During the trophy presentation, both players needed to sit down. They were totally exhausted.
2013 US Open Final
Nadal beat Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 — Nadal had seven months out to rest his creaking, injured knees, missing the 2012 US Open and 2013 Australian Open. But he took the world of tennis by storm on his return.
The Spaniard won 60 of 64 matches, 22 of them on hard courts not thought to favour the “King of Clay”, lifted 10 titles, two of them Grand Slams (French Open, US Open) and registered his sixth win over Djokovic in seven matches.
Again the quality of the tennis was that of dreams.
One rally lasted for 54 shots as Nadal won in three hours and 21 minutes of pulsating action.
2022 Australian Open Final
Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 — The 35-year-old Nadal claimed a 21st Slam title with a stunning comeback against Medvedev.
He became the first man in the Open era to win the Australian Open from two sets down, and also saved three break points in the third set.
Medvedev said Nadal’s performance was “unreal” after coming out second-best in a gruelling match which lasted five hours and 24 minutes.
It was the second time Nadal had defeated Medvedev in a major final, after another five-set epic went his way in New York in 2019.
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