Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal retiring from game

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, who won 22 Grand Slam titles, said Thursday that he will retire at the end of this season.

"I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis," Nadal, 38, said in a video on Instagram.

"The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially. I don't think I have been able to play without limitations. 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 ever have imagined," he said.

Nadal added that he will make his final appearance in November's Davis Cup finals in Spain's Malaga.

The experienced tennis player suffered from a hip injury during most of 2023, and previously said that 2024 would be his final season.

Called the 'King of Clay,' Nadal won a record 14 French Open (Roland Garros) titles, the last in 2022.

In addition, he won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles twice each, and secured four US Open championships.

Nadal won an Olympic gold at Beijing 2008.