Rafael Nadal started playing tennis at a young age. What started as a hobby with his uncle Tony became one of the most influential tennis stories ever created. Now retired, Nadal treasures every moment of his incredible tennis career, which gave him so much.
In his recent interview, Rafa expressed his gratitude towards sport and all the people who helped him achieve his dreams. The Spaniard chose tennis over football, and we can safely say that he made the right decision after conquering 22 major titles and 36 Masters 1000!
Zinedine Zidane passes the baton to Rafael Nadal #OpeningCeremony | #Paris2024 | #OlympicGames | #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/anXZ08Iz9Y
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Nadal did not like junior tournaments. He represented his country in several age categories, but skipped the junior Major tournaments. The youngster made his professional debut in 2001 and accumulated experience. The Mallorcan achieved his first ATP victory in April 2002, still aged 15.
A year later, he defeated a top-10 opponent and claimed his first ATP title in Sopot in August 2004 at the age of 18. Rafa made a name for himself in 2005, becoming Roger Federer’s closest rival and celebrating his first major title at Roland Garros a couple of days after his 19th birthday.
The Spaniard conquered the ATP throne in August 2008 and achieved a career Grand Slam at the 2010 US Open. Thus, at 24 years old, Nadal wrote history books and gathered millions of fans around the world thanks to his fighting spirit and unprecedented determination.
Rafa, who always gave his all on the court, maintained his passion for tennis after winning almost every major trophy. The legend won his last two Major crowns in the first half of 2022, becoming the proud owner of 22 Major trophies!
However, he was unable to maintain that form and was back to world number one at the age of 36. Nadal gave his all to overcome various injuries and setbacks that plagued him throughout his career. Still, that became much more difficult over the years, and the legend had to end his career last season.
Rafa struggled in the second half of 2022 due to an abdominal injury, which caused him to lose form and confidence. To make matters worse, he suffered a serious left hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open, forcing him to endure the longest break of his career.
The veteran wanted to end his career on his own terms. He worked hard in the second part of the year and returned to action in Brisbane last year. Nadal added 12 wins in 2024 and reached one ATP final. However, he was unable to challenge the rivals at the top and decided to retire.
His last match was in the 2024 Davis Cup final in Malaga. Rafa lost to Botic van de Zandschulp and retired from the tennis scene, closing an incredible chapter in tennis history and earning himself a well-deserved retirement.
“The most important thing is that I have been lucky enough to be able to do what I am passionate about from a very young age. It started as a hobby and became an essential part of my life, which is the most important thing for me.
“Thanks to tennis I have had experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life. So the only thing I can do is be grateful to my sport, to life and to all the people who have helped me or have come into my life at some point,” said Rafael Nadal.
