Rafael Nadal ended his legendary career a few days ago. His last dance at the Davis Cup Finals was not as memorable as fans would have hoped, but Spain’s premature elimination in Malaga does not affect the legacy of one of the best athletes of the modern era.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion marked an era not only of tennis, but of sport in general. At the beginning of his career, the Spaniard was considered only a specialist in red clay who would always struggle to be competitive on other surfaces. Despite the injuries that have always accompanied him throughout his career, Rafa has continued to work on his game and has improved so much that he has become one of the best players in the world even away from his beloved red clay.

The former world No. 1 has won the Wimbledon Championships twice, even defeating eight-time champion Roger Federer in the iconic 2008 final, which many consider to be the greatest match of all time. The legend from Manacor also won two Australian Open and four US Open, reaching 22 Grand Slam titles. His numbers at the French Open have consecrated him as an immortal god of the sport, turning him into a source of inspiration for all young players approaching tennis.

The former Spanish champion has won tournaments in every corner of the world and has become one of the most popular athletes of the modern era, thanks in part to his amazing rivalry with Federer. The Swiss and the Spaniard represented the perfect contrast of styles and their matches divided the fans as never before their arrival.

The last part of their careers was quite similar. Both have struggled to play as they would have liked in recent years, being plagued by serious injuries that have made their last dances a bit sad. Federer played his last match in doubles at the 2022 Laver Cup, no longer being able to be competitive in singles in an official tournament. Rafa – on the other hand – tried to play the singles at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals losing quite clearly to Botic van de Zandschulp.

Nadal’s earnings

Many fans wonder how much Nadal has earned during his long and glorious career. The 14-time Grand Slam champion received almost $135 million in prize money, ahead of Federer and behind Djokovic.

In a recent interview with ‘El Mundo’, uncle Toni discussed Rafa’s retirement: “Rafael found it hard to retire because, for anyone, to stop doing an activity you like and have been doing for many years is hard.

Afterwards, my nephew has lived another reality: for years, he has lived with problems, with injuries that he has been able to overcome.

This time, it wasn’t like that. It didn’t happen, and when he realized it was impossible, he retired. But before that, he would have wanted to continue, of course.”

He also reflected on the differences between Nadal/Federer and Nole Djokovic: “There are players whose sporting merits go beyond their specific sport like Novak Djokovic.

But there are others whose way of winning goes beyond sport.

That’s what happens with Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, because life is not just about winning, but how you win. Both have earned a higher level of respect.”

What’s next for Rafa?

Although 2024 was to be his last season as a professional tennis player, Rafa had considered continuing to play next year. However, a series of elements allowed him to understand that it would not have made much sense to continue his adventure on the ATP tour.

The results and performances in 2024 have shown that Nadal can no longer be competitive to win the most important titles and that the risk of new injuries is increasingly high. The Spaniard’s body has been subjected to impressive stress throughout his career and asked him several times to start a new chapter of his life.

Rafa was probably not the best player ever, but his competitiveness and determination made him a global icon and an example for everyone. Almost all modern athletes follow in the footsteps of Nadal, who played every point as if it were the last of his life. The legend from Manacor deserved a better last dance in Malaga, but circumstances did not go his way and he had to settle for a sad ceremony.

Fans hope that Nadal will organize some exhibition matches with his old rivals such as Federer and Murray, but much will depend on their physical shape. Roger had promised that he would play some exhibitions after his retirement, but it hasn’t happened in the last two years.