Rafael Nadal has announced that he will be retiring from professional tennis at the end of the year.
The Davis Cup finals in November will be Nadal’s last appearance at a professional tennis event.
In an emotional video shared via social media, Nadal said the following on his retirement:
“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, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.
“But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.
“I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport: my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals. I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.
“Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me, because in the end my team has been a very important part of my life. They are not just my co-workers, they are my friends. They have been by my side at all the times I have really needed them. Very bad moments, very good moments, moments when I had to be pushed, moments they gave me more slack. We have lived so much together that it is hard to explain.
“My family is everything to me. My mother: I think she has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we would always have everything.
“My wife Mery: we’ve been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done. I think you’ve been the perfect travel companion during all these years of career.
“To come home and see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue.
“My sister, I think we have always had an incredible relationship. My uncle [Toni], who is the reason I started playing tennis. I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sporting career.
“And to my father, who I believe has been a source of inspiration for me in every sense of the word. I think he has been an example of effort, of overcoming. Many, many thanks to my father in a very, very special way.
“And finally, you, the fans. I can’t thank you enough for what you have made me feel. You have given me the energy I have needed at every moment. Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true.
“I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way. I can only end by saying a thousand thanks to all and see you soon.”
Also read: Nadal’s brand endorsements, investments, and notable charity work
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