Rafael Nadal’s last match as a professional was a 6-4, 6-4 loss to 80th-ranked Bottic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup, as Spain were eliminated by the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Spain lost 2-1 in the quarter-finals of Nadal’s last tournament after more than 20 years on the courts and 22 Grand Slam titles.
“The truth is that nobody wants to reach this moment,” Nadal said.
“I’m not tired of playing tennis , but it’s my body that doesn’t want to play anymore, so I have to accept the situation,” he added.
“Honestly, I feel very lucky to have been able to make a career out of my hobby, and to have played for much longer than I ever imagined. I can only be grateful for life and all the people who have been behind my success,” he continued.
After the ceremony, Nadal hugged his teammates and left the court waving his hands and greeting the crowd one last time.
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