The Davis Cup Finals in Malaga marked the conclusion of an extraordinary career as Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, played his final professional tennis match.

Rafael Nadal’s relatively low-key retirement ceremony at the Davis Cup has been defended by the head of the International Tennis Federation as being dictated by the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s wishes.

He also spent his entire career battling his own body, with Nadal’s injuries both acute and chronic carving the trajectory of his career and to an extent the way he played tennis. King of clay. Warrior.

Rafael Nadal's tennis career includes 22 Grand Slam trophies, a record 14 French Open titles and plenty of other significant numbers.

The muscular, left-handed Spaniard, who retired Tuesday with 22 major victories, was a thrilling one-off.

Rafael Nadal is heading into retirement after Spain was eliminated from the Davis Cup. The 38-year-old Nadal announced in October that he would retire from professional tennis after the team event, which is being played in southern Spain.

Novak Djokovic has shared his favourite off-court story about Rafael Nadal, while he also revealed his favourite on-court memory involving his great rival. Nadal retired from tennis after playing the last match of his staggering career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga last week.

Rafael Nadal of Team Spain gets emotional while watching a video on the giants screens during his farewell after Spain being knocked out on the quarterfinal tie between Netherlands and Spain during the Davis Cup Finals at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on November 19,