Chris Evert: Rafael Nadal's retirement will leave a gaping hole in tennis

Tennis icon Chris Evert recently penned a heartfelt message in honor of Rafael Nadal, who announced his impending retirement from professional tennis. Evert expressed her deep admiration for the 22-time Grand Slam champion, celebrating his legendary achievements and unmatched character on and off the court.

Rafael Nadal, often called the “King of Clay,” made a comeback to the ATP Tour earlier this year after a year-long injury hiatus. The Spaniard participated in seven tournaments, reaching the quarterfinals in Brisbane and making it to the final in Bastad, however, his journey since the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics has been challenging.

In the singles event, the 38-year-old was defeated by eventual gold medalist Novak Djokovic in the second round. In doubles, he and partner Carlos Alcaraz were ousted in the quarterfinals by Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, who went on to win the silver medal.

Nadal announced his upcoming retirement on Instagram on Thursday, October 10.

"I'm here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, especially the last two. I don't think I have been able to play without difficulties," the Spaniard wrote.

"In this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined," he added.

Evert, a former World No. 1 and an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her farewell note.

"Thank you @RafaelNadal for the stellar years of lifting tennis up to the warrior level, for your unmatched sportsmanship and humility, for never changing as a person despite all your success. There will be a gaping hole in tennis now because there has never been anyone like you….Good luck to you," Evert wrote.

Known for his fierce competitiveness and gracious demeanor, the Spaniard’s legacy extends beyond his impressive statistics. He leaves behind a record of 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Open victories, four US Open titles, two Wimbledon championships, and two Australian Open wins.

Beyond his Grand Slam success, the Spaniard also secured an Olympic gold medal in singles (2008) and doubles (2016), and accumulated 92 ATP singles titles in total.

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Rafael Nadal set to retire following Davis Cup Finals appearance

Rafael Nadal at the 2024 French Open (Image source: Getty)

Rafael Nadal has been chosen for Spain's squad for the knockout stages of the Davis Cup finals, which will take place in Malaga next month.

Spain’s roster also includes Carlos Alcaraz, Pablo Carreno Busta, Marcel Granollers, Roberto Bautista Agut, and captain David Ferrer. In the group stage, Spain dominated the Czech Republic 3-0, with Bautista Agut, Alcaraz, and the Alcaraz-Granollers doubles team securing victories. They followed up with a 2-1 win against France, with Bautista Agut and Alcaraz winning their singles matches.

Spain will now face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, with the winner moving on to meet Germany or Canada in the semifinals.