Today is a sad day for the entire tennis world as Rafael Nadal finally broke his silence regarding his retirement. The 22-time Grand Slam champion revealed that he will call time on his illustrious career after the end of this season and will represent his country in the Davis Cup Finals, which would be his last act in professional tennis as a player. Rafael Nadal has been away from the sport for quite some time now due to injuries, and his retirement update left the entire tennis community saddened. The likes of Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur joined a host of WTA stars who paid their tributes to one of the sport’s best players over the years.

American sensation Coco Gauff took to Instagram and commented on Nadal’s retirement post, saying, “You are amazing! It’s been so incredible to witness your greatness and work ethic and be able to learn from it. Wishing you all the best in the next chapter.” While Gauff was rising in the WTA circuit, Nadal was in his prime and playing the best tennis of his career, and the American star looked up to him for greatness.

Further, Ons Jabeur was also left saddened by the news about Nadal calling an end to his career after this season. She shared Nadal’s retirement post on her Instagram story and wrote, “Thank you for inspiring me and all of us. You will be missed,” along with tearful face emojis. Additionally, the likes of Paula Badosa and Katie Boulter were also left heartbroken as Nadal bids adieu to tennis. The latter even wrote, “Nope, I/we refuse this application to retire,” as she didn’t want the Spanish legend to retire.

Nonetheless, Nadal is hoping for one last laugh before he retires. The Spaniard has already set his eyes on the Davis Cup Finals in his home country.

Rafael Nadal looks more excited than ever for the last dance

Earlier this year, Spain qualified for the Davis Cup Finals to be played in Malaga from 19-21 November. Nadal will join his compatriot, Carlos Alcaraz, as he bids to win a 5th Davis Cup title. Playing in his own backyard will prove to be a major boost to him, getting support from numerous fans inside the stadium. As a result, Nadal is confident about a good show in the tournament.

He said, “I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Sevilla in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry.”

Earlier, Nadal revealed that frequent injury setbacks took a toll on him, and he eventually felt that the time was right for him to hang his boots. However, we haven’t seen the back of him yet, and we expect Nadal’s last dance to be one of the most memorable moments of his career.