Rafael Nadal has officially retired! The 22-time Major winner added his name to the list of retired players on the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) site. Thus, he terminated his tennis journey without the intention of making a comeback.
Rafa ended his tennis journey after 23 years on the professional circuit, playing his last match at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard reached incredible heights between 2005 and 2022, claiming 22 Major titles and 36 Masters 1000 crowns.
Nadal claimed the 2022 Roland Garros title, looking good to become world no. 1 in the second half of the year. However, everything went wrong for the legend at Wimbledon. He never found his A-game again and retired two years later.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
After practicing and playing tennis for nearly 35 years, Rafa can now focus on his family and things he likes to do outside the court. He recently entered a golf event and watched Real Madrid against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League clash.
Also, the legend does not have to think about rigorous practice schedules and grueling travel itineraries anymore. For the first time, Nadal can spend uninterrupted time with his family and enjoy simple pleasures of life on his beautiful island.
Nadal's final two years🥹🔥🇪🇸 Rafael Nadal’s 2024 ATP highlights pic.twitter.com/rWFu5hxJtA
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) November 22, 2024
As we already said, Rafa struggled in the second half of 2022, dealing with an abdominal injury and losing momentum. He made a slow start to the 2023 season and experienced a severe hip injury at the Australian Open. The legend underwent surgery and missed the rest of the year.
Despite the most extended break of his career, the 37-year-old wanted to terminate his career on his terms! Nadal returned to action in Brisbane at the beginning of 2024. He defeated two rivals and reached the quarter-final before experiencing another blow.
Rafael Nadal© Stream screenshot
The veteran squandered three match points against Jordan Thompson and fell after three and a half hours. He felt pain around his troubled hip again and missed the Australian Open. The Spaniard returned home and trained in February, hoping to play in Doha.
However, he injured his abdominal muscles and missed all the action until Barcelona. The king of clay could not deliver his best tennis on his beloved surface, which is the main reason he decided to retire. Rafa scored one win in Barcelona and three in Madrid.
He suffered a heavy loss at the Rome Masters and drew Alexander Zverev in the first round of Roland Garros. The 14-time champion gave everything in a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 loss after three hours and five minutes, experiencing his earliest Roland Garros exit.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
As was expected, Nadal skipped the grass season and stayed on clay, preparing for his final Olympic Games. The Spaniard entered Bastad, returning to the ATP 250 event after 19 years. He stopped the clock and beat four rivals for his first ATP final in over two years.
Rafa passed a couple of challenging obstacles and lost steam ahead of the title clash, taking five games against Nuno Borges and finishing runner-up. Nadal injured his right thigh and returned to Paris with low expectations. Rafa defeated Marton Fucsovics in the first round.
He arranged the 60th duel with Novak Djokovic in round two and experienced a 6-1, 6-4 defeat. Novak took charge against his greatest rival and forged a 6-1, 4-0 advantage. Rafa made an impressive comeback, pulling two breaks back and locking the result at 4-4.
Still, Djokovic delivered another break in the ninth game and sealed the deal on his serve in the next one, crashing the rival's medal dreams.
Botic van de Zandschulp & Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot Rafa's final career match
Nadal missed the US Open and the Laver Cup. He announced his retirement in October, gathering numerous comments from his rivals and fans. Rafa picked the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga as his last event, working hard on the practice court and shaping up his form.
Two decades after debuting for Spain, Rafa faced Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-final. The Dutchman defeated the legend 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 52 minutes, sending him into well-deserved retirement. The home favorite lost serve three times.
Highlights de la VUELTA DE RAFA NADAL 🇪🇦 en Brisbane un año después 🎾 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/vPnAhMIqMa
— Amante Olímpico (@Tokio20206) January 2, 2024
He responded with one break in the second set while already standing behind. He failed to extend the battle and his career, suffering a second Davis Cup singles loss. They stayed neck and neck in the opening eight games, locking the result at 4-4.
Van de Zandschulp closed that eighth game with a smash winner and made a push on the return in the next one. He generated a break chance and landed a backhand crosscourt winner for a 5-4 advantage. Botic closed the opener with a service winner in game ten, moving 6-4 up after 46 minutes.
Nadal suffered another blow at the beginning of the second set. He missed a game point and sprayed a forehand error on a break point to fall a set and a break behind. Botic held in game two for 2-0 and reached deuces on the return in the next one.
Nadal survived them and held, remaining within one break deficit. Van de Zandschulp closed the fourth game with a service winner for 3-1 and made another push on the return in the next one. He cracked a forehand crosscourt winner on the second break point and forged a 4-1 advantage.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
Rafa stepped in on the return in the sixth game, defending the rival's game point and creating three break chances. The home favorite converted the last after the rival's slice error, reducing the gap to 2-4. Nadal saved a break point in the seventh game with a smash winner and landed a service winner for 3-4.
Seeking a complete comeback, the Spaniard claimed the opening two points of the eighth game. However, the Dutchman fired up his serve and clinched four straight points for a pivotal hold and a 5-3 lead. Rafa served to stay in the match in game nine and brought it home with three powerful serves.
The legend wished for another push on the return at 4-5, especially at 30-30. Still, Botic landed a service winner for a match point and drew Rafa's mistake, sealing the deal and sending the 22-time Major champion into retirement.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/Yk8EWp9
Tennis
Hello friend's I am Arohi, i write the all type of viral content through my blog's. On my blog's get the latest News about science, tech, health and fitness , news, online earning ideas and more.