Spain's Rafael Nadal announces retirement from tennis

Rafael Nadal, dubbed one of the greatest clay court tennis players of all time, announced his retirement from professional games on Thursday, October 10. Nadal, who won 22 grand slam singles titles, said he was putting an end to his professional tennis career, a decision effective after the Davis Cup final.

He made the announcement on social media and thanked his fans for their support. "It is obviously a difficult decision to make, and I think it is the appropriate time to end my career. It has been some difficult years, these last two especially," the 38-year-old, who won a record 14 French Open titles, said in a video.

"I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup representing my country. It's closing the circle because one of my first joys was the final in Sevilla in 2004."

The Davis Cup knockout phase will be played from Nov. 19-24.

Nadal's career has been hampered by injuries and he missed the 2023 French Open and was beaten in the first round by German Alexander Zverev this year.

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