Rafael Nadal gave his all until he simply couldn’t anymore and had to retire: Analysis

Rafael Nadal’s tennis career will be remembered because of the numbers, yes — the 14 French Open trophies, the 22 Grand Slam titles overall, the nearly two decades in the top 10, and so on — and, without a doubt, because of his riveting rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Also, indelibly, because of the all-out effort and energy Nadal brought to the court every time. So long, that is, as his body allowed. His style of play was so rigorous and unforgiving that it contributed to a series of injuries over the years (even his Roland Garros debut as a teen was delayed 12 months, and his last triumph there came thanks only to painkilling injections).

Perhaps not surprisingly, it was his health that eventually forced Nadal to announce his retirement on Thursday after competing only sparingly the past two seasons. If anything, it is remarkable that he lasted as long as he did; the 38-year-old Nadal said his farewell will come next month when he represents Spain in the Davis Cup finals.

“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media that included a montage of clips from his career, including handshakes at the net after matches against Federer and Djokovic, the other members of the so-called Big Three of men’s tennis. “I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best.”