The game Rafael Nadal played against Alexander Zverev will go down in history as the last time the King of Clay set foot at Roland Garros, as the great announced his retirement from the game.
Fans who had French Open tickets to Nadal’s game that day saw the last of the legend in action at Roland Garros—a place that eventually turned out to be the home of the Spaniard with countless memories.
Nadal Officially Retires
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has announced his upcoming retirement from the sport after a glittering career in which he amassed 22 grand slam titles.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players ever, Nadal’s final tournament will be with Spain at the Davis Cup finals in November.
The 38-year-old last played at the Paris Olympics. Still, continuing injury struggles, which have hampered him throughout his career, have severely limited his time on the court over the past two seasons.
This year, Nadal made it to Roland Garros on two occasions—one for the Roland Garros singles draw, which he lost to Zverev, and later the Olympics. Fans with French Open tickets got a second chance at seeing the great play when he paired up with Carlos Alcaraz for Spain in the men’s doubles.
But the duo had to bow out in the quarterfinals.
The Nadal fans who’ve been regulars with French Open tickets also saw him play Djokovic in the Olympics, but he lost out without a fight.
Taking to social media, Nadal left a heartwarming retirement message, appealing to all the fans with French Open tickets.
“Hello, everyone; I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media. “The reality is that is has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.
“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end.
“And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”
Nadal, who was forced to skip last month’s Laver Cup due to fitness concerns, announced last year that 2024 would likely be his last season on the tour.
His 22 grand slam titles are the second-most in the history of men’s tennis behind only Novak Djokovic, his great long-time rival, as are his 36 Masters 1000 titles.
Nadal has also won singles and doubles gold for Spain at the Olympics and led his country to five Davis Cup titles.
Dubbed the “King of Clay” due to his remarkable dominance on the surface, Nadal won 14 of his grand slams at the French Open and lost just four of his 116 matches in Paris.
He also won the US Open four times, the Australian Open twice, and Wimbledon twice. His victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final is widely considered the greatest tennis match of all time.
“I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country,” Nadal added. “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 Seville 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. All the people involved in this sport, my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals. I have spent many hours with them and lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.
“Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me because, in the end, my team has been a very important part of my life. They are not co-workers; they are friends. They have been by my side at all the times I have really needed them. Very bad moments, very good moments.”
Nadal had suggested throughout the season that he could continue playing into next year if his body allowed him to be competitive.
After missing most of 2023 due to a hip injury, Nadal returned to competitive tennis at the Brisbane Open in January but was forced to miss the Australian Open with a thigh injury.
“I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best and made an effort in every way,” he said.
Federer, whose rivalry with Nadal is arguably the greatest in tennis history, said it was an “honor” to play against the Spaniard. The pair shared a tearful moment that went viral during Federer’s retirement ceremony in 2022.
“What a career, Rafa!” Federer wrote on Instagram. “I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honor!”
Djokovic Reacts to Nadal’s Retirement
Djokovic had intense and rewarding rivalries for many years with Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal, who joined him in the famed quartet.
Djokovic beat Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-4 on Friday to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals and is still chasing tour success.
The win came a day after Nadal announced he would retire in November.
Federer retired in 2022, while Murray ended his career in August.
“[Nadal] has been my greatest rival. The rivalry I had with him has impacted me the most in my career by far,” Djokovic said after his win against Mensik.
“We knew that that moment is coming sooner than later, but it’s still a shock.
“I don’t know what to make out of it. I still enjoy competing. But part of me left with them, a big part of me.”
Record High Demand for Tickets
Rafael Nadal announced his retirement recently, revealing that he would last be in action in November in Spain’s Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands. He will be featured alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta, and Marcel Granollers.
As it will be the legend’s final tournament, fans have gone into a meltdown to book tickets for the event. Tickets on official platforms were sold out weeks ago as Nadal is pairing up with Alcaraz. But with the retirement announcement, resellers have seen prices skyrocket.
Tickets are starting at prices above 3500 euros.