Oh, it was coming alright. The way he had been playing tennis in the past months, this retirement announcement was inevitable.
No die-hard Rafael Nadal fan could’ve prepared for his farewell yesterday, yet like most legends of the game who have gone before him, a bitter end to such an illustrious career becomes a rite of passage.
Such were the retirements of Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray and Roger Federer.
Nadal’s farewell to the ATP tour marked a definite halt to a 23-year professional tennis career.
He’s immortalised in the sport for being a member of the ‘Big 3’ together with rivals Federer and Novak Djokovic—the latter is still going strong despite father time hounding ever so closely.
He will undoubtedly be remembered as the ‘King of Clay,’ with the majority of his trophies won on the red surface. But if you ask his most ardent supporters, what makes him stand out? Well, the answer may lie in things numbers cannot convey.
The most legendary injury-stricken career
For my money, the single greatest thing Nadal had achieved in his career was to put up unprecedented numbers, all whilst nursing a hobbling body from start to finish.
Sure, his closest rivals all suffered various injuries throughout their careers as well. I mean, who wouldn’t, though, playing 20+ years of high-level tennis whilst maintaining the status quo of being the absolute monsters that they are.
But factoring every injury altogether and you arrive at the conclusion that the bull from Mallorca could’ve reached even greater heights barring physical ailments.
He had a lingering foot injury that had pestered him since 2005; tendonitis on both knees, along with recurrent and persisting problems to his left shoulder; he missed the 2016 Roland Garros because of an injury to his dominant wrist; in 2021, he was forced out of the ATP Cup because of back stiffness; he was sidelined in the 2009 Wimbledon Championships because of tendonitis, along with missing the 2012 and 2013 US Open and Australian Open; he also skipped the 2014 US Open, this time with a problem on his right wrist.
In hindsight, he could’ve done so much more. But I reckon the career he carved isn’t too shabby, either.
Rivalry with Federer, Djokovic
Nadal, Federer and Djokovic wouldn’t be the players they are/were without the rivalries they have shared between them.
The three biggest names in the history of the sport, having their careers intertwined at the perfect moment, to improve their games year in and year out.
A total of 150 matches were played between them: Federer and Nadal met 40 times, Djokovic and Federer faced each other 50 times, and Nadal and Djokovic battled 60 times.
Countless Grand Slam, Tour finals and Masters events—most of which are semi-final and final appearances—have been contested between the trio, with their most gruelling losses also coming from each other.
For Federer, the heartbreak in 2008 Wimbledon—arguably the best tennis match ever played—in the hands of Nadal, to go with the 2019 Wimbledon final against the impeccable Djokovic—saving two championship points in the process.
Djokovic, meanwhile, had his heart broken in the 2012 French Open—the first year he reached the final of the tournament—with Nadal securing his then record-breaking seventh Roland Garros title, surpassing Bjorn Borg.
The Spaniard also defeated Djokovic in the 2010 US Open final, where the latter saved two match-points in the semi-final against Federer to advance in the finale.
Nadal, of course, was involved with Djokovic in the longest Grand Slam final in history, when he and Djokovic duelled in the 2012 Australian Open, which ended in a triumph for the Serb.
And earlier this year, we saw their encounter in the Olympics, with both men hoping to upset the SBOTOP ATP 2024 odds and win the tournament despite their recent frailties—a match where Djokovic had the last laugh, winning their final encounter, to go with attaining the gold medal.
With the ATP 2024 news of Nadal hanging up his racquet, we are now nearing an era where the ‘Big 3’ will pass into legend. Nadal’s retirement, whilst painful, is a necessity. No one wants to see him go out any worse than he already did.
Was it the expected end he was hoping for? I’d like to think not. Same goes with Federer’s bowing out ceremony, along with many more. But it was an end that, I guess, personified his entire career—a simple and poignant message that showed gratefulness and acceptance. From every tennis fan out there, we could never thank you enough, Rafa.
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