He also spent his entire career battling his own body, with Nadal’s injuries both acute and chronic carving the trajectory of his career and to an extent the way he played tennis. King of clay. Warrior.

Rafael Nadal called time on his illustrious tennis career earlier this month, but the Spaniard is already looking ahead to his next sporting challenge

In the years that followed, Nadal worked to improve his all-court game and his serve, and his results away from clay improved. He missed the Australian Open in 2006 but won his second Roland Garros title before reaching that year’s Wimbledon final and U.S. Open quarters. Roger Federer schooled him on Centre Court, winning the first set 6-0.

Rafael Nadal officially retired from professional tennis on Tuesday, November 19, after Spain was eliminated by Netherlands on Day 1 of the Davis Cup Finals. The 22-time Grand Slam champion dreamed of finishing in style in Malaga, but nothing went in the right direction.

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal played the final match of his professional career Tuesday, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup. Nadal, 38, announced in October he would retire after the tournament.

Rafael Nadal’s relatively low-key retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup has been defended by the head of the International Tennis Federation as being dictated by the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s wishes.

Tennis legend Roger Federer wrote a heartfelt letter to Rafael Nadal on Tuesday before the Spanish star joins him in retirement. Nadal is participating in the Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain this week before saying goodbye to the sport he has played professionally since 2001.