Rafael Nadal’s retirement draws a line in the golden age of men’s tennis | Rafael Nadal

There are moments in sports that rise above all others. For Rafael Nadal, that moment came in the early evening of Wimbledon in 2008. As natural light quickly ran out, Roger Federer’s final forehand crashed into the net and Nadal fell onto his back, joy boundless. At the age of 22, the Spaniard became Wimbledon champion, something he – and many others – thought was beyond him.

At that moment, Nadal became a real superstar. The idea that he could beat Federer on the Swiss’ favorite surface, where he had won five times in a row, was already virtually unbeatable. But Nadal turned tennis logic upside down forever. Two years later he won Wimbledon for the second time and later that same year he won the US Open. He was only the seventh man to complete the career grand slam across all four majors, and the youngest in the Open era.

Now he is retiring. At the age of 38, when his body no longer allowed him to compete for the biggest titles, the decision may have been inevitable, but that in no way diminishes the impact. With 22 Grand Slams to his name, including 14 French Open titles, and 92 tournament victories worldwide, his place in history is assured. He spent 209 weeks as world number 1 and was in the world top 10 for 912 consecutive weeks, a record 912 consecutive weeks, a testament to his skill not only with a racket, but also at bouncing back from the many injuries he sustained during the course. of his career, his unique physicality, his super strength and his ultimate downfall.

Andrés Iniesta, the footballer who scored the winning goal for Spain at the 2010 World Cup, has described Nadal as the best sportsman in the country’s history. He might just be right. Certainly, his record of French Open titles seems destined never to be beaten. From his debut at Roland Garros in 2005, Nadal dominated clay tennis even more than Björn Borg, a six-time champion, had done. His vicious topspin forehand, incredible movement, incredible tenacity and impeccable posture allowed him to bully anyone who dared to oppose him, including Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Between 2005 and 2007 he won 81 matches on clay and at Roland Garros he lost only four times: twice to Djokovic, once to Robin Soderling in 2009 and this year, when he was half fit, to Alexander Zverev. The sound of the on-court announcer, Marc Maury, reeling off Nadal’s French Open triumphs year after year is as iconic as it is intimidating to his opponents.

But he was much more than just a mudlark. Nadal won four US Opens and two Australian Opens, in addition to his two victories at Wimbledon and fourteen French Opens. He continually adjusted his game, adding speed to his serve, flattening his forehand and ripping his two-handed backhand. Naturally right-handed, some players said playing Nadal was like facing a man with two forehands. His net play was second to none.

Some of the shots he hit were almost indescribable. His stunning coverage on the pitch and power at full range meant anything was possible wherever he was. Sometimes he would stand miles back to return serve, but by the time the opponent hit the next shot, he was on the baseline and taking control. His footwork, scrambling around his backhand to smash the forehand inside out with venom and precision, was breathtaking.

While Borg, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe rose to the tennis box office ratings in the 1970s, helped by the expansion of television coverage, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic took tennis to another level. Together they won 66 grand slams and dominated the sport to the extent that only a select few, including Andy Murray, could even gain a foothold when it came to the majors. They were faster, fitter, better.

The style contrast between Nadal’s strength and defense and Federer’s seemingly effortless aggression made for stunning matches. The pair met 40 times, with Nadal winning 24 and leading 10-4 in slams. He played Djokovic even more often, with the Serbian taking the lead 31-29. If Nadal does not play singles in the Davis Cup in Malaga next month, his last event, his very last singles match, will have been against Djokovic at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

As with Federer, it is difficult to imagine a tennis world without Nadal. His forehand on the line is forever remembered, his impeccable attitude and the way he treated everyone, from opponents to the media, an example to all. As Darren Cahill, one of the sport’s leading coaches, said on social media on Thursday, he was the ultimate role model. “(Nadal) had all the qualities of an athlete that you want your own children to emulate. Kindness, respect, hardworking, loyal, generous, faith and willingness to fight for every point. A role model, an inspiration for every generation and a legend of all time.”

With Nadal’s impending departure, the golden era is truly over. With Federer having retired two years ago and Nadal heading to a nearby golf course, Djokovic is the last of the three standing. The Serbian may eventually be able to expand his 24 Grand Slam titles, even though Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who shared the majors in 2024, will make that increasingly difficult. But Nadal leaves tennis as one of the all-time greats and someone who changed the sport for the better. Not many people can say that.