“It’s Over, I Feel It,” Rafael Nadal Drives the Final Nail in the Coffin As He Recounts His Final Season on Court

They say all good things must come to an end. Such was true for Rafael Nadal’s career as well. The man who defined a major part of the golden era of tennis hung up his racket in 2024. There was not a dry eye in the Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena as he closed out a 23-year-long legacy at the Davis Cup in Malaga. Now, ‘the King of Clay’ is enjoying retirement, spending time with his family, expanding the Rafa Nadal Academy, and occasionally playing pickleball or soccer. But what was the moment that made him step away for good?

A journey that included 22 Grand Slams was never going to be easy. It came with blood, sweat, tears—and injuries. Nadal’s body endured an unforgiving toll, forcing him to miss 11 majors due to issues with his knee, feet, ankle, abdomen, and wrist. The former World number 1 has always been known for pushing his limits. For him, being match-ready meant being prepared to “die on the court.” But eventually, even he had to accept reality.

In a candid conversation on Andy Roddick’s podcast ‘Served,’ the 38-year-old tennis icon opened up about his final years in tennis. He admitted the struggles of coping with injuries and the inevitability of retirement. “Yeah, in some way, I’m a positive guy. Last year, of course, had been mentally tough. I went through some painful moments in terms of accepting things. During all this process, you go through like a mountain of emotions. It’s difficult to explain in words,” the Spaniard said.

Nadal started 2022 on a high note. He captured the Australian Open title, securing his second Melbourne Park crown. Then came Roland Garros, his fortress, where he lifted a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam. But soon after, the tide turned. “To put everything in perspective, in 2022, I was winning Slams. Then I got injured. In Wimbledon, I had my abdominal break in semifinals; I was not able to even be on court and then in the US Open, in the previous days of the tournament start I again had the tear in my abdomen,” the 14-time Roland Garros winner revealed.

The Wimbledon injury was particularly brutal. He tore an abdominal muscle in the quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz but still found a way to win. However, the pain was too much. He withdrew before his semifinal against Nick Kyrgios. A few months later, he suffered another setback at the US Open, where Frances Tiafoe sent him packing in the semi-final. But that wasn’t what broke Nadal.

Rafael Nadal reveals the Paris Olympics was his last straw

In late 2022, Rafael Nadal’s life changed in a big way. He became a father. But instead of slowing down, he geared up for another year on tour. The Spaniard arrived at the 2023 Australian Open as the defending champion, only to crash out in the second round against Mackenzie McDonald. A hip injury had left him barely able to move.

In the same podcast with Roddick, he said, “So in my mind, after that I became a father, there was a different approach at the end of the year. But I say, okay, I’m going to prepare myself. I have been playing very well, I am going to prepare myself to start 2023 in good shape. Then what happened in 2023 in the first tournament of the year, well second, first Slam, against Mackenzie McDonald I had a big thing in the psoas area.”

For five months, he avoided surgery, hoping to recover naturally. But deep down, he knew. The comeback wasn’t the same. The man who once ruled red clay played 16 matches on the surface, and something was off. He couldn’t glide across the court. His once-lethal serve lost its bite. His body was sending him a clear message. “I was not able to move the way that I was used to move. So arrived a moment that after Olympics, I come back home and then say, okay, it’s over. I feel it.”

Now, in retirement, Rafael Nadal is living “with little pain.” He gave everything—mind, body, and soul—to tennis, leaving behind a legacy that will be talked about for generations.