Rafael Nadal has retired from tennis. The player’s last match was the defeat of Spain, in a Davis Cup match, on Tuesday (11/19).
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At his farewell, he gave a ten-minute speech, thanking him for all the achievements of his career.
How was Nadal’s farewell?
With a lot of emotion and tears, Rafael Nadal spoke when he announced that he would be retiring from the sport.
– Everything I tried in my life was to strive to be better every day, to achieve my goals. But I also tried to do it with respect, with humility, valuing all the good things I’ve been through. I hope you noticed this too. I leave this professional world having met many friends along the way. I have so many people to thank. I go with the peace of mind that, in some way, I left a legacy not only sporting, but also personal. I understand that the affection I receive around the world would not be the same if it were just for what I presented on the court. Thank you very much for everything – he said.
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– I’m feeling very lucky to receive so, so much love around the world and especially here in Spain. I want to continue on this day by congratulating the Dutch team. Congratulations, you played very well. And I want to thank the entire Spanish team. You all allowed me to live the dream I had of playing in another Davis Cup. Evidently it didn’t turn out the way we all wanted. I wish I had done more than I did, but I honestly gave everything I had. And I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to spend these last few days as a professional in a team. Many of the most exciting moments of my career were experienced with many of those here. Being part of the Spanish team was an incredible privilege – he added.
The Davis Cup was Nadal’s last competition. In his last game, he was defeated by the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, in a duel that lasted 1h53min and ended with partials of 6/4 and 6/4.
What fortune has Rafael Nadal accumulated in tennis?
Rafael Nadal has accumulated the second largest fortune in the history of tennis, surpassing legends such as Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. He won 34.9 million dollars (R$755 million at current prices) in prizes throughout his career. He is only surpassed by Djokovic.
Tennis players who have won the most prize money in history
- Novak Djokovic (Serbia) – 184.4 million dollars
- Rafael Nadal (Spain) – 134.9 million
- Roger Federer (Switzerland) – 130.5 million
- Andy Murray (United Kingdom) – 64.6 million
- Alexander Zverev (Germany) – 44.9 million
- Pete Sampras (USA) – 43.2 million
- Daniil Medvedev (Russia) – 42.6 million
- Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) – 37 million
- Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) – 35.1 million
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) – 31.7 million
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Why did Nadal decide to retire?
Rafael Nadal spent the last two years living with injuries that prevented him from performing at the level he achieved in the past. That’s why the historic tennis player made the decision to step away from the courts.
– The reality is that it has been difficult years, especially the last two. I believe that I was not able to play without limitations, which led me to make this decision – he explained.
