Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from tennis and that has sparked a wave of tributes for the Spaniard from a number of fields. Nadal stated that he will be calling time on a prolific career after turning out for Spain at the Davis Cup Finals in November.

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is among the many who paid their respects to the 22-time Grand Slam winner. The pacer posted a photo of Nadal celebrating one of his 14 French Open titles with the words: “Grit. Determination. And an absolute fighter. Congratulations on a truly remarkable career.”

In a lengthy video that he posted on his social media handles, Nadal said that the Davis Cup finals in Malaga will be his last outing in professional tennis. “I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make,” Nadal said in the video he posted.

Nadal thanked his rivals and fans for their unwavering support throughout his career, stating that he is content with the decision to call time on his career. The 38-year-old dominated men’s tennis for nearly two decades along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, with the trio collectively being known as the ‘Big 3’. With Federer having retired in 2022, Djokovic will remain the only active member of the trio after the Davis Cup Finals.

Known for his unmatched grit and tenacity on the court, Nadal leaves behind a legacy of dominance, particularly on clay, where he reigned supreme at the French Open, securing a record 14 titles.

Spain will face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals between 19 and 21 November, with Nadal being added to the squad after recovering from an injury that kept him out of the group stage.

It will be his first appearance on the court since the Paris Olympics earlier this year, a symbolic return to the competition where one of his earliest career highlights occurred. In 2004, a young Nadal played a key role in helping Spain secure the Davis Cup title, an experience he fondly referenced in his retirement announcement.