Rafael Nadal retires after Spain’s quarter-final loss at the Davis Cup

The GIST: Tennis legend Rafael Nadal officially retired yesterday following Spain’s quarter-final exit from the Davis Cup, marking the end of his career with a final pro match loss to world No. 80 Botic van de Zandschulp. Consider the circle closed.

• Today, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to honor the undisputed (and very ’stitious) King of Clay, with the generational shift in men’s tennis fully underway.

On-court legacy: At just 18 years old, Nadal burst on the scene, poetically enough, at the 2004 Davis Cup, topping then–No. 2 Andy Roddick to clinch the title for Spain. Months later, he won the first of 14 record-setting French Open titles, a run that would cement his status as the best to ever play at Roland-Garros, with 112 wins and just four losses across 116 event appearances.

• But Nadal’s clay court dominance was only part of his game. The Spaniard is retiring with two Olympic gold medals, a career Grand Slam, and 22 major titles, trailing only No. 7 Novak Djokovic as the all-time men’s Grand Slam winner.

• Nadal’s final two Grand Slam titles came in 2022, when he won both the Australian Open and French Open. His career has since been plagued by injuries, forcing Nadal to slow down, and in October, he announced his retirement following the Davis Cup.

Zooming out: Of the Big Three — Roger Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic — only Djokovic remains active. However, despite winning an Olympic gold this summer, 2024 marked one of Djokovic’s worst seasons in recent memory, injured and winless at the majors for the first time since 2017.

• In fact, 2024 marked the first time in 22 years that all four Slams were won by someone who wasn’t named Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic. A true passing of the torch.

• Though fierce competitors, the Big Three have shown unwavering support for each other as their dominant era comes to a close, paving the way for rising stars like No. 1 Jannik Sinner, No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, and No. 4 Taylor Fritz to take their place. Pass the tissues.