2024 will even be remembered because the 12 months of Rafael Nadal’s retirement from skilled tennis. The 22-time Grand Slam champion didn’t obtain good leads to his final dance and – after the Paris Olympics – he thought the best time had come to begin one other chapter of his life.
The previous world No. 1 has chosen the Davis Cup Finals because the final official occasion of his iconic profession, hoping to assist Spain get so far as potential in Malaga. Spain’s run was a complete disappointment, as they have been eradicated already within the quarter-finals by Netherlands.
That stunning loss – additionally attributable to some improper selections by Spanish captain David Ferrer – made Rafa’s farewell ceremony a lot sadder than anticipated. Many VIPs and sports activities champions have been absent and the organizers of the occasion discovered themselves very unprepared by making a number of errors.
Rafael Nadal© Atp Tour
Regardless of the unhappy farewell, the previous few months don’t have an effect on the legacy of among the finest athletes of the fashionable period within the slightest. The Spanish legend made the historical past of this sport, taught different athletes what it means to by no means hand over and was the creator of a number of the biggest feats within the historical past of contemporary sport.
His triumphs on the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2022 will ceaselessly stay etched within the reminiscence of followers, when Nadal’s profession already appeared near its conclusion. Accidents have closely affected him within the final two years and his appearances on the pitch have change into more and more sporadic.
Two legendary rivalries
There isn’t any doubt that Rafa’s profession has additionally been so particular due to his iconic rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Though he has confronted the Serbian essentially the most instances, the Spaniard has topped the previous Swiss champion as the most important rival of his profession.
Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal, Laver Cup 2022© Stream screenshot
On the most recent version of the ‘Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast’, former WTA star Andrea Petkovic revealed a confession that Toni Nadal made to her a while in the past: “I loved the match-up between Novak and Rafa, because Rafa respected Novak and knows he is the greatest player he has ever played.
It is interesting because I talked to Toni Nadal and he said Novak is the greatest player Nadal faced and he said the reason for that is Novak sees the ball like nobody else. He is the only one who attacked Rafa’s forehand.
He gave an example. He said the first few times Novak tried to take Rafa’s forehand on the rise with his backhand and mistimed it a few times and was late on it. Then in the third match he had perfect timing every time. He said he had the best eyes in tennis.”
Nadal and Federer final confronted one another within the semifinals of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, however the Spaniard was the King’s associate within the final match of his profession on the 2022 Laver Cup on the O2 Enviornment in London.
The final official conflict with Nole was within the second spherical of the Olympic event in Paris, though the 2 legends additionally confronted one another on the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia in October.
Rafa deserved a greater farewell
The 22-time Grand Slam champion deserved a greater farewell to skilled tennis. Rafa has labored exhausting to be aggressive in 2024, however he has solely performed 20 matches and has not received any titles (reaching just one last in Bastad).
The previous world No. 1 thought-about persevering with to play subsequent 12 months, till he realized it would not make any sense. The physique has despatched him very clear indicators over the past couple of years and the Spaniard understood that he might not compete to win essentially the most prestigious titles.
Rafael Nadal© Instagram Rafael Nadal
The French Open and the Paris Olympics have been his two fundamental targets in 2024, however each failed for various causes. Nadal had hoped to win one final medal on the Olympics, however he failed to take action even in doubles alongside his younger compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. It is actually a disgrace that his final singles match was the unhealthy loss to Botic van de Zandschulp on the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
