Rafael Nadal breaks down in tears after last-ever match as heartbroken world of tennis says goodbye to legend

RAFAEL NADAL and the tennis satellite broke down successful tears arsenic the fable retired pursuing the past lucifer of his bonzer career.

The Spanish superhero, 38, hung up his racquet for bully connected Wednesday pursuing his country's exit successful the Davis Cup Finals successful Malaga.

Nadal, who has struggled with injuries successful caller years, was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Botic van de Zandchulp successful the opening rubber.

And that proved to beryllium the last lucifer of his bonzer vocation arsenic contempt Carlos Alcaraz winning his singles match, Spain mislaid the deciding doubles and were knocked retired by the Netherlands.

So aft 23 years arsenic a professional, 22 Grand Slams including 14 French Opens, 209 weeks arsenic the satellite No1, 1,080 singles wins, 2 Olympics golden medals and £107million successful prize money, Nadal crossed the decorativeness enactment connected 1 of the top runs we person witnessed successful immoderate sport, fto unsocial conscionable successful tennis.

Nadal, who got affectional during the nationalist anthem earlier the commencement of play, was fixed a heroic send-off by his team-mates and adoring location fans.

A four-and-a-half-minute video was played implicit the large surface with classy tributes from chap tennis stars Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Conchita Martinez, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Spanish footballers Rodri, Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and Raul, golfer Sergio Garcia and ex-Real Madrid antheral David Beckham besides featured.

Nadal teared up watching the montage, which besides featured galore of his illustrious vocation highlights from the breakout teenage prima to Davis Cup glories for Spain to his remarkable 2022 Australian Open victory, coming from 2 sets down to bushed Daniil Medvedev successful the final.

Then helium - and galore successful the assemblage including his doting woman Mery - were forced to hitch distant the waterworks earlier helium spoke connected the tribunal pursuing confirmation of the end.

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Asked however helium wanted to beryllium remembered, the antheral from Manacor replied: "The titles and the numbers are determination truthful radical astir apt cognize that.

"But what I privation to beryllium remembered much for is arsenic a bully idiosyncratic from a tiny colony successful Mallorca.

"I was conscionable a kid who followed their dreams, worked arsenic hard arsenic imaginable to beryllium wherever I americium contiguous and, being honest, I person been precise fortunate with the beingness I've had the accidental to live.

"I achieved much than what I ever dreamed."

Nadal added to the assemblage who chanted "Rafa, Rafa" passim the tie: "It has been 20 years of a nonrecreational vocation successful which you person carried maine done the bully times, and successful the bad, you pushed maine to support playing.

"The information is that you ne'er privation to get to this point. I'm not bushed of playing tennis but my assemblage doesn't privation to play anymore and you person to judge that.

"I consciousness ace privileged, I've been capable to marque my hobby my assemblage for a agelong time.

"Of course, it has been an affectional time and I felt nerves earlier the match.

"I tried my best, I tried to bask and play with the close vigor and the close attitude."

Nadal mouthed "gracias" to the assemblage during a minute-long lasting ovation and spot his articulator to halt himself from bursting into floods of tears - earlier blowing kisses to the 11,500 fans packed into the Palacio de Deportes arena connected his last exit from the tennis court.

And arsenic the curtain came down connected the King of Clay, plentifulness of tennis' biggest names took to societal media to convey Nadal for each helium has done for the athletics and privation him each the champion successful status - pursuing connected from "fan" Federer's beauteous unfastened missive to his large person posted earlier the Davis Cup finale.

Serena wrote: "Why americium I getting truthful choked up. With @RafaelNadal
retirement. I’m not bully astatine goodbyes."

Coco Gauff said: "Today, I americium from Spain," arsenic she celebrated the country's icon.

Boris Becker tweeted: "I americium crying arsenic we speak… @RafaelNadal what an implicit icon of athletics period! There volition ne'er beryllium different 1 similar Rafa! Role exemplary for truthful galore kids each astir the world! Gracias Rafa."

Maria Sharapova added: "No 1 similar you, Rafa. I person truthful overmuch respect for your grit, your emotion of the 'fight', and the axenic people with which you showed up, adjacent connected a pugnacious day."

Rod Laver commented: "Rafa, watching you vie has been a privilege. Your bequest volition endure arsenic 1 of the top to ever grace the game.

"Thank you for the countless unforgettable moments and for mounting a modular of excellence that volition animate generations to come. Wishing you happiness and occurrence successful this adjacent chapter."

The Nike logo and Nadal's signature bull awesome - a motion to his relentless warring tone - were lit up beside the Eiffel Tower, 4 months aft helium carried the Olympic occurrence during the Paris 2024 opening ceremony, conscionable a fewer miles from the tract of his 14 Roland Garros successes.

And portion Nadal knows his sanction is etched successful tennis past forever, it is simply a striking and important reminder of his humility and people arsenic a subordinate and arsenic a antheral that his overriding privation is to beryllium remembered arsenic a "good idiosyncratic from a tiny colony successful Mallorca".

Yes, Nadal volition ever beryllium much than that - but helium volition besides ne'er beryllium little than that.