Tennis legend Rafael Nadal finally shared the heart-wrenching moment of the career that made him realise that it was time for him to retire.
According to HITC, Spanish tennis star who took retirement from tennis in November 2024 at the Davis Cup finals revealed that after his Paris Olympic bid, he realised that his career was over.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist lost badly in the second round of the summer games, 6-1, 6-4, to Novak Djokovic.
Related: Rafael Nadal reveals post-retirement plans: ‘Going to come back’
Speaking to Andy Roddick on the Served podcast, Nadal said, “After the Olympics, I came back home and I said, ‘Ok, it’s over; I feel it. I don’t feel like I’m going to come back being competitive at a level that motivates me.”
“I have been practicing all my career with very high intensity, that’s the way that I understand the sport. That’s the way that I enjoy the sport, so when I am not able to do that anymore, then for me it’s not anymore that interesting,” he added.
Nadal has won 22 men’s singles Grand Slam titles in his decorated 18-year career. He won the French Open for the record 14th time and was regarded as the king of clay as he defended his crown 10 times.
Related: Rafael Nadal breaks silence on choosing Davis Cup Finals for farewell
