With a tearful farewell, Rafael Nadal bid adieu to his professional tennis career on Tuesday. In a heartfelt message to his devoted fans, this legendary athlete humbly expressed his wish to be remembered for the simplest of virtues. "I aspire to be recalled as a decent human being and a young dreamer who not only realized their aspirations but surpassed them," Nadal modestly articulated following his final match. Despite Spain's unexpected elimination from the Davis Cup by the Netherlands, the 38-year-old seemed at peace with his decision to retire from a career brimming with accolades, as he listened to his contemporaries offer praise in a commemorative video.

"Playing alongside you was an honor, but facing you across the net was truly special," Roger Federer expressed in his tribute. "Congratulations on an extraordinary career." Novak Djokovic chimed in, "Your resilience, your combative spirit, the vigor and strength you displayed are qualities that will be analyzed and passed down through many generations to come. I am deeply honored to have been considered your rival." Serena Williams confessed, "Your influence propelled me to numerous victories—to persevere—to strive—to enhance—to evolve—to emulate your style of play." The compliments could have filled hours more.

As Nadal exited the court, he showered the audience with kisses and embraced his Spanish comrades before offering a final wave. Nadal's illustrious journey began in 2001 when, at just 14, he turned pro. It was not until April 2002, with Nadal on the brink of his 16th birthday, that he secured his maiden ATP Tour victory on his native Mallorca. Nadal then skyrocketed from world rank 199 to 49 in 2003, clinching Challenger titles and triumphs at Masters 1000 events, as well as notching his initial two wins against top 10 players—including his current mentor, Carlos Moyá.

The subsequent year marked Nadal's breakthrough, establishing him as a Spanish icon. He claimed his inaugural ATP singles title at the Pokrom Open and, at the tender age of 18, defeated world No. 2 Andy Roddick in the Davis Cup final on home turf,助力 Spain to secure the championship for only the second time ever. It is poignant that Nadal's valedictory to tennis occurred in Spain, the arena that catapulted him to fame. That year, 2003, also witnessed Nadal's inaugural encounter with Federer, a straight-sets triumph for Nadal at the Miami Open, an event that few could have anticipated would herald one of tennis's most storied rivalries.

"All the buzz surrounding you—the talk of this prodigious young player from Mallorca, a talent for the ages, likely to claim a major title one day—it wasn't just hype," Federer reflected on that match in his farewell note to Nadal. However, it was in 2004 that Nadal truly burst onto the scene, becoming a household name. He won 24 consecutive matches during the clay court season, shattering Andre Agassi's Open Era record for the most successive triumphs by a teenager, culminating in his first French Open crown in his tournament debut. Though not yet the King of Clay, his performance on the red dirt was already regal.

Nadal became the first male teenager to clinch a grand slam since Pete Sampras at the 1990 US Open and ascended to a career-high No. 3 in the world rankings. It marked the beginning of four consecutive French Open titles, interrupted only by a shock defeat by Robin Söderling in the fourth round in 2009 at Roland Garros. That loss was the first of just three that Nadal endured at the French Open, although he had to withdraw injured before his third-round match in 2016, giving him a 112-3 record on Parisian clay, a win percentage of 97.39%. "On clay, it felt as if I was entering your domain, and you pushed me harder than I ever thought possible just to maintain my position," Federer wrote. "You compelled me to rethink my game—so much so that I even altered the size of my racket head, seeking any advantage."

Nadal's unyielding dominance on clay redefined the concept of mastering a surface. The Spaniard concluded his career with 14 French Open titles, two Australian Opens, two Wimbledon crowns, and four US Opens, totaling 22 grand slams, second only to Djokovic in history. "I've had the fortune to compete against him a few times, securing victories which, when you tell a young fan watching him on TV claiming 14 Roland Garros in succession, is quite extraordinary," world No. 9 Alex de Minaur remarked. "All those experiences sharing the court with him are something I'll cherish for a long time and will share with future generations."

Although grass was perceived as Nadal's least favorable grand slam surface, it was at Wimbledon's Centre Court where he relished arguably his most iconic moment. In the waning summer twilight, Nadal finally overcame Federer in 2008, ending the Swiss's five-year winning streak at Wimbledon in a match that spanned nearly seven hours due to rain interruptions. That was the final year Wimbledon was played without a roof on Centre Court, ending the era of matches being halted by dramatic, hours-long delays. Federer had defeated Nadal in the finals in 2006 and 2007, but Nadal had crushed Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the French Open final a month prior. In near darkness on Centre Court, Nadal ultimately prevailed 9-7 in the fifth set. Many consider it the greatest tennis match ever played.

"I didn't watch much tennis growing up, but even I was captivated by Rafa," ATP Finals runner-up Taylor Fritz recalled. "I remember the Wimbledon final with him and Federer, and it's surreal that I was just a little kid—not even a teenager—watching him play, and then we grew up to have the opportunity to play against him. It's something truly special, and there are only a few players like that. It's quite extraordinary when you get to compete against him."

In August 2008, Nadal finally ascended to the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, a position he would hold for a total of 209 weeks over his career. Among his many achievements, Nadal became only the second man to achieve the career singles 'Golden Slam' in 2010—securing all four grand slams and Olympic gold—and aided Spain in winning four Davis Cup titles. He also claimed Olympic doubles gold in 2016 and amassed a total of 92 ATP titles. Nadal earned a reputation as one of the most relentless players in tennis history, pursuing every ball with fierce determination, even those that many others would have deemed unplayable.

However, the question often arises as to whether Nadal's aggressive playing style, which contributed to his success, may have also played a role in his injury woes. With the multitude of injuries Nadal has endured, one wonders: 'What if?' What if he hadn't missed 11 grand slams due to various maladies? What if his body hadn't betrayed him repeatedly throughout his career? How many more grand slams would Nadal have won? How many more records would he have shattered? Yet, Nadal never allowed his injuries to define his career; instead, his career has been characterized by his resilience in the face of them: his tenacity, his drive to win, and his unwavering ambition to return time and again—to reclaim the pinnacle.

Ultimately, however, it was one injury too many for his 38-year-old body to overcome—though his spirit was clearly as eager as ever, with Nadal frequently expressing his intention to make a comeback the following year. Yet, the injuries only make the numbers and records Nadal has amassed throughout his career all the more astounding.