11 october 2024 : Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from tennis on Thursday, bringing an end to a remarkable career that included 22 Grand Slam titles. He shared the news on social media, expressing gratitude for the support he received throughout his journey.
Since the announcement, many players, both current and former, have congratulated Nadal. A video showing Carlos Alcaraz watching Nadal’s retirement message on a phone with his team has gone viral, capturing the emotional reaction of Alcaraz and his group.
Alcaraz revealed that the news came as a shock, saying, “Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It didn’t affect me before the match, I stayed focused. But when I watched the video, it was tough to process. I was in shock. Luckily, I saw it about an hour before the match, so I had time to accept it and refocus.”
He continued, “This is really tough news, especially for me. Nadal has been my idol since I started playing tennis. He inspired me to become a professional. Losing him is going to be hard, but I’ll try to enjoy his remaining moments on court.”
Nadal’s final appearance will be at the Davis Cup finals in November in Malaga, where Spain will face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. It will be his first tournament since the Paris Olympics and a fitting conclusion to his legendary career.