Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire from professional tennis after representing his country at the Davis Cup next month.

The 38-year-old Nadal is arguably one of the greatest tennis players to ever play the sport – perhaps surpassed only by two of the greats of his time: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

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Rafael Nadal reacts against Frances Tiafoe during their men’s singles fourth-round match on day eight of the 2022 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles and two gold medals, one in singles and the other in doubles, over the course of his illustrious career.

“Hello everyone, I’m here to inform you that I’m retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in a video posted to his X account.

Nadal said the last two years of his career were the most difficult as he struggled with numerous injuries that kept him out of Grand Slams. He complained that he could not fully practice the sport he had dominated for years.

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Rafael Nadal thanks spectators after the men’s second-round match against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, January 18, 2023. (Bai Xuefei/Xinhua via Getty Images)

“It’s obviously a difficult decision that took me some time,” he said. “But in this life everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it is the right time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Nadal has won the French Open 14 times, the US Open four times and won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice each. He won gold medals in Beijing in 2008 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

He has been on four Davis Cup-winning teams in his career and he hopes to emerge victorious.

“I am very happy that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup final and representing my country. I think it’s come full circle for me because one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”

Nadal thanked his supporters, colleagues and rivals with whom he has worked over the past 20 years.

“I leave with absolute certainty that I did my best and tried hard in every way,” he added.

Rafael Nadal plays a backhand against Alexander Zverev in the men’s first-round match on day two of the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2024 in Paris. (Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)

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“Finally, I can only say a thousand thanks to everyone and see you soon.”

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