Even though he had to compete over the same time period as two other tennis greats, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal was able to stay competitive at the top level for a considerable amount of time. Each of them has lost significant titles as a result of their rivalry, but if the others hadn’t encouraged them to get better, none of them would have had such a lengthy career.
Even after winning everything, the Big 3 kept pushing each other and improving. In recent years, men’s tennis has experienced significant change, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz assuming leadership roles and establishing new hierarchies.
Rafael Nadal© Instagram/Tenis Espana – Fair Use
At the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this year, Rafael Nadal bid professional tennis farewell, while Roger Federer retired in 2022 after suffering a severe knee injury. Actually, because of the numerous ailments that have plagued his body, Rafa’s career has started its downward parabola for a few years.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion made every effort to delay his fate, but his 2024 results persuaded him to call it quits on his illustrious career. The former world number one thanked everyone who made his tour so memorable and bid farewell to his supporters in Malaga.
The former Spanish champion took a brief holiday and spent time with his family in Marbella after retiring. The 14-time French Open champion was then seen at Anfield Road with his sister to watch Liverpool vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League. Rafa is a big Real Madrid supporter, as everyone knows, even if his uncle Miguel Angel played defense for Barcelona for a while.
