Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis.
His last event will be the Davis Cup next month in Malaga, wearing Spanish colours.
The 38-year-old Spaniard, who won 22 Grand Slam titles including 14 at the French Open, announced the news in a video message posted on X.
He said: “Hello everyone. I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis.”
Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010 added: “The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.
“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.”
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.
He won his last Roland Garros title in 2022 and left the Paris clay on a jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in October?
- Shanghai Masters – ATP 1000 (October 2-13)
- Wuhan Open – WTA 1000 (October 6-12)
- Almaty Open, Kazakhstan – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Stockholm Open, Sweden – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- European Open, Antwerp – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Japan Open, Osaka – WTA 250 (October 14-20)
- Ningbo Open, China – WTA 500 (October 14-20)
- Erste Bank Open, Vienna – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Swiss Indoors, Basel – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Guangzhou Open, China – WTA 250 (October 21-27)
- Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, Tokyo – WTA 500 (October 21-27)
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.