From thanking wife, mother & father to acknowledging difficulties in final years: Everything Rafael Nadal said in retirement announcement speech
Rafael Nadal announced that he would be retiring from tennis, and thanked a lot of people associated with his career. These included his parents, his wife and his sister, among others.
The Spaniard was last seen in action at the Paris Olympics, where he exited the singles tournament in the first round and the doubles tournament in the quarterfinals. He has been included in Spain's Davis Cup squad for the tournament's knockout stages in November.
Rafael Nadal recently shared a video on social media, where he announced that the Davis Cup would be his final outing in professional tennis. The 38-year-old said that he took some time to decide to retire from the sport.
"Hello everyone. I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. 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 right time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined," the Spaniard said.
"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 joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004," he added.
Nadal also thanked the tennis community, including his colleagues and rivals. He also paid tribute to his coaching team, calling them his friends
“I feel 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 longtime colleagues, especially my great rivals. I’ve spent many, many hours with them, and I’ve lived many moments that I’ll 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’re not just co-workers. They are friends," the 22-time Grand Slam champion said.
Speaking further about his team, Nadal said that they were by his side during all times, good or bad.
"They have been by my side at all the times that I needed them, very bad moments, very good moments, moments I had to be pushed, moments they gave me more slack. We have lived so much together that it is hard to explain," he said.
Nadal also had some words of gratitude for his family, thanking his mother for the sacrifices she made. He also spoke about his wife, Maria Francisca Perello, calling her his "perfect travel companion". The Spaniard also claimed that watching his son grow was something that kept him alive.
"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 have been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done. I think you have been the perfect travel companion during all these years of my 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," Nadal said.
The 38-year-old also spoke about his sister and his uncle Toni, calling the latter the "real reason" he got into tennis. He also paid tribute to his father, Sebastian, calling him "a source of inspiration".
"My sister, I think we have always had an incredible relationship. My uncle, who is the real reason I started playing tennis. I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome manny situations that have been difficult in my sporting career. And to my father, who I believe, has been a source of inspiration to 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," he added.
"You give me the energy I've needed every moment"- Rafael Nadal thanked his fans in his retirement video
Nadal ended his retirement video by thanking his fans for the energy they provided him with whenever he needed it.
“And finally, you the fans – I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve made me feel. You give me the energy I’ve needed every moment, really," the Spaniard said.
“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 thanks to all and see you soon," he added.
Nadal, currently 158th in the ATP rankings, has played 19 singles matches so far in 2024, winning 12. His best performance this season came at the Nordea Open in Bastad, where he reached the final after beating Leo Borg, Cameron Norrie, Mariano Navone and Duje Ajdukovic. Here, the 38-year-old lost 3-6, 2-6 to Nuno Borges.
As far as other tournaments are concerned, the Spaniard reached the fourth round at the Madrid Open and the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International, losing to Jiri Lehecka and Jordan Thompson, respectively. He competed in just one Grand Slam in 2024, which was the French Open, and suffered a 3-6, 6-7(5), 3-6 defeat to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.
Nadal and Spain start their Davis Cup knockout campaign against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, with the winner taking on either Germany or Canada in the semifinals.