Rafael Nadal gets emotional in his final speech, after reflecting on his career in tennis

This Tuesday (19), Rafael Nadal decided to say goodbye to the courts definitively after the elimination of the Spanish team in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup, played in the city of Malaga, by a score of 2-1.

After the match, the tennis player gave a 10-minute speech, remembering his victorious legacy in professional tennis and thanking everyone who was part of and important in the success of his epic career. “I leave this professional world having met many friends along the way. I have so many people to thank. I go with the peace of mind that, in some way, I left a legacy not only sporting, but also personal.“, said Nadal, in an excerpt of his speech made on court.

The athlete chose the Davis Cup to end his career and spared no words to thank his family, friends and his entire team for the extraordinary moments he experienced over two decades. Nadal added, saying that he is not tired of playing tennis, but that his body can no longer handle the demands that a high-level sport provides.

Trajectory of the “King of clay”

A professional tennis player since 2001, at just 15 years old, Nadal is on the list of the biggest winners in the sporting world. He has 22 Grand Slams in his career, 14 of which were won on clay at Roland Garros. In 2008, he won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. In total, the tennis player has 92 titles and 1,080 victories. The title of “King of Clay” is due to the fact that Rafael is one of the biggest winners of tennis tournaments on clay.

One of the most striking and memorable moments of his career took place at the professional men's tennis tournament Madrid Open, in 2009. On that occasion, the tennis player performed a backstroke between the legs of his rival Novak Djokovic.

Rafael Nadal, tennis legend, retires after two years of saying goodbye to Roger Federer, his friend and one of his main rivals on the court during his career. Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic formed what became known as the “Big 3”, the trio of tennis players who masterfully dominated the men's tennis circuit over the last two decades.

In honor of his great achievements in tennis, Nadal is immortalized with a statue, which is next to the Philippe-Chatrier court, at Roland Garros.

_{Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal competing for the Spanish national team (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@rafaelnadal)}

Tributes to the legend

After announcing his retirement, the tennis player received tributes from around the world. American tennis player Serena Williams said Nadal inspired her and was grateful for being able to see him at his peak. “Your legacy will never die. Seeing your career from the beginning to today has been an honor, champion. Long live, Rafa!”declared tennis player Carlos Alcaraz.

The world press also paid tribute to Nadal for his fantastic career. The newspaper Marca, from Spain, highlighted the legacy left by Rafael Nadal, saying that he came out as he wanted, playing and fighting without ever leaving his essence aside. Roger Federer, in an excerpt from his letter paying tribute to the tennis player, stated that he was Nadal's “biggest fan”.

Featured photo: Nadal announces retirement and says goodbye to the fans at the Davis Cup tournament (Reproduction/X/@DavisCup)