Rafael Nadal said goodbye to tennis following the Davis Cup Finals in November 2024. Over the course of his two-decade-long career, he broke and set several records, the most impressive of them being his haul of 14 titles at the French Open.
Nadal won a total of 22 Major titles, an Olympic gold medal in singles and doubles, 36 Masters 1000 titles, and held the No. 1 ranking for 209 weeks. Along with his rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, he was responsible for ushering in the golden age of tennis, along with a renewed interest in the sport.
The Spaniard’s departure has now left a void. He was met with roaring applause whenever he stepped on the court this season, with the fans knowing that the end was imminent. On that note, here are five memorable moments from Nadal’s final season on the tour:
#5 – Rafael Nadal’s moving speech at his farewell ceremony at the Davis Cup
The Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, marked the final tournament of Nadal’s illustrious career. Spain were up against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals and lost to them. While his farewell ceremony came under fire for not befitting a player of his stature, the 38-year-old’s parting words left everyone in tears.
Nadal thanked his near and dear ones, along with his legion of fans, for sticking by him through thick and thin for two decades. He stated that the next part of his journey will be easier to handle with his family by his side.
“I’m privileged. I’ve been able to make my profession my pastime. I’m a lucky one. My family, my team, my friends. I’m a person who believes in continuity, I believe in keeping people who want and making your life better. I’ve kept my family close. Without you this would not have been possible.”
“They’ve always been there with me, they always kept me with my feet on the ground. What’s going to happen in the future will be easier to carry. I am calm because I have received an education that allows me to face the future calmly,” – Rafael Nadal on his family and well-wishers.
#4 – Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic face off one last time at the Paris Olympics
Nadal and Djokovic’s rivalry has been the most prolific in the history of the sport. The two hadn’t crossed paths since the Spaniard beat him in the quarterfinals en route to the French Open 2022 title.
Nadal’s journey would’ve felt incomplete if he didn’t wind up facing Djokovic in his farewell season. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case as they locked horns in the second round of the Paris Olympics.
It was their 60th career meeting, and no other pair on the men’s side has contested as many matches as them. Djokovic won 6-1, 6-4, and wrapped up their head-to-head 31-29 in his favor. Nadal tried to mount a comeback in the second set but ran out of steam towards the end. Nevertheless, it was a monumental occasion as the two legends of the sport went toe-to-toe one last time.
#3 – Rafael Nadal delights his home fans at the Madrid Open with a trip to the fourth round
Nadal resumed his comeback at the Brisbane International this year but suffered another injury setback, which sidelined him for a couple of months. He returned to the tour at the Barcelona Open and was shown the door by World No. 11 Alex de Minaur in the second round.
Nadal kicked off his next tournament, the Madrid Open, with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Darwin Blanch. He took on de Minaur in the second round, and this time he beat him 7-6 (6), 6-3 for his first win over a top 20 player this year. The Spaniard beat Pedro Cachin in three sets to make the fourth round, where Jiri Lehecka awaited him.
The former World No. 1 couldn’t get past Lehecka and went down to him 7-5, 6-4. It was a strong showing on his part, that too in front of his home crowd, especially after his early exit from the Barcelona Open.
#2 – Rafael Nadal makes a commendable effort to reach the Swedish Open final
In order to prepare for the Paris Olympics, Nadal decided to participate in the Swedish Open. It marked his first appearance at the venue since winning the title way back in 2005.
The Spaniard started off with routine wins over Leo Borg and Cameron Norrie to reach the quarterfinals. He took on Mariano Navone for a spot in the semifinals and staged an epic comeback to emerge victorious. Their duel lasted a minute shy of the four-hour mark.
After a string of injuries, Nadal pushed himself to the limit to register a 6-7 (2), 7-5, 7-5 win. It was the third-longest best-of-three match since 1991. He rallied from a set down in the semifinals as well to beat Duje Ajdukovic. However, the title remained out of his reach as he lost to Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-2 in the final, though it was a terrific effort from him to even make the summit clash.
#1 – Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz entertain the crowd during their quarterfinal run at the Paris Olympics
While Nadal’s singles came to an end in the second round with a loss to Djokovic, he tasted more success in doubles. Teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz, the two dazzled the crowd with their showmanship.
The Spaniards defeated Argentina’s Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez in straight sets in their opener. They were pushed to a final set tie-break in the second round by Wesley Koolhof and Tallon Griekspoor but survived a scare from the Dutchmen.
Nadal and Alcaraz faced the American pair of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in the quarterfinals and lost to them 6-2, 6-4. While they didn’t go all the way, the Spaniards drew the loudest cheers from the crowd during their time in Paris.
