Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement from tennis

[Kieran]

BTW Paris Masters tournament director Cedric Pioline confirmed that he offered Nadal a wild card to participate in the upcoming tournament, but Nadal politely declined.
" I asked if there was any interest but the answer was very clear, he has decided to play the DC Final 8 in Malaga as his last event and he will not play an official tournament until then".

It was cheeky of Pioline, and worth a try, I guess, no matter how hopeless. I hope he still invited Rafa to Paris anyway, to let that city celebrate its greatest champion. It would have been a touch..

 

[El Dude]

Rafa's retirement got me to finally watch Roger Federer: Twelve Final Days, which I had avoided since it came out. In a way, it takes time to recover and be ready to say goodbye, and watching that was yet another of many saying goodbyes to Roger.

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, highly recommended. The Fedal love is profound and some really touching moments between the two of them - crying together, which has been well documented, but just the overall very obvious love they had for each other. One thing that stood out to me is how Rafa described the feeling of a Grand Slam match against Roger, that there wasn't anything else like it and how he would never feel that again. Some funny stuff too like Rafa complaining about Sonego's allegedly fake grunt, and Berrettini defending Sonego; or Roger making fun of Berrettini needing to look good; or Novak clarifying that some of them were wearing the wrong shirt.

Anyhow, I was struck by the fact that when that Laver Cup took place, it was September of 2022 - just a few months after Rafa's last Slam title and Roland Garros win. So weird to think that, while watching it - that Rafa's retirement was essentially just around the corner. After, he would play two more tournaments in 2022, one in 2023, and then seven this year...so he was really only 10 tournaments and a bit more than two dozen matches behind Roger. Now Andy is retiring as well, and Novak might be in his final days, though that remains to be seen.

Another interesting point of resonance is that Roger's final Laver Cup was just a few weeks after Carlos Alcaraz won his first Slam, signally the beginning of a new era.

 

[Moxie]

Rafa's retirement got me to finally watch Roger Federer: Twelve Final Days, which I had avoided since it came out. In a way, it takes time to recover and be ready to say goodbye, and watching that was yet another of many saying goodbyes to Roger.

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, highly recommended. The Fedal love is profound and some really touching moments between the two of them - crying together, which has been well documented, but just the overall very obvious love they had for each other. One thing that stood out to me is how Rafa described the feeling of a Grand Slam match against Roger, that there wasn't anything else like it and how he would never feel that again. Some funny stuff too like Rafa complaining about Sonego's allegedly fake grunt, and Berrettini defending Sonego; or Roger making fun of Berrettini needing to look good; or Novak clarifying that some of them were wearing the wrong shirt.

Anyhow, I was struck by the fact that when that Laver Cup took place, it was September of 2022 - just a few months after Rafa's last Slam title and Roland Garros win. So weird to think that, while watching it - that Rafa's retirement was essentially just around the corner. After, he would play two more tournaments in 2022, one in 2023, and then seven this year...so he was really only 10 tournaments and a bit more than two dozen matches behind Roger. Now Andy is retiring as well, and Novak might be in his final days, though that remains to be seen.

Another interesting point of resonance is that Roger's final Laver Cup was just a few weeks after Carlos Alcaraz won his first Slam, signally the beginning of a new era.

I haven't seen the doc, but I will watch. I appreciate that you say it still takes time to process your goodbyes to Roger. I get that. This has been a long era of greats, with committed fans, and it takes time to let go. I had a friend (not on these forums) say to me today that I was a diehard Alcaraz fan. I told her, no, I'm a diehard Rafa fan, and I like Alcaraz. There's a difference, and Rafa is technically not done.

I do believe that Roger and Rafa have come to a special understanding and friendship. They had 6 solid years as 1 and 2 in the world, when their every meeting was an event. (And, obviously, only a final.) Their contrasts made the rivalry great, and they had some epic matches. (By which i don't mean just long.)

You mention, in retrospect, how close Rafa was to retirement when he played doubles with Roger at the Laver Cup, 2 years ago, for Roger's retirement match. I said at the time that Rafa cried for the end of his great rival's career, of course, and clearly that was an ending for him, too. Of their rivalry, but also, clearly he knew he was staring at his own tennis mortality. I think he was crying for that, too. That takes nothing away from the sentimentality of the moment, which was lovely. It was the end of something big in tennis, and what it meant to them, in part, only they can know. At a certain altitude, greats only have each other to share it with.

 

[Fiero425]

I haven't seen the doc, but I will watch. I appreciate that you say it still takes time to process your goodbyes to Roger. I get that. This has been a long era of greats, with committed fans, and it takes time to let go. I had a friend (not on these forums) say to me today that I was a diehard Alcaraz fan. I told her, no, I'm a diehard Rafa fan, and I like Alcaraz. There's a difference, and Rafa is technically not done.

I do believe that Roger and Rafa have come to a special understanding and friendship. They had 6 solid years as 1 and 2 in the world, when their every meeting was an event. (And, obviously, only a final.) Their contrasts made the rivalry great, and they had some epic matches. (By which i don't mean just long.)

You mention, in retrospect, how close Rafa was to retirement when he played doubles with Roger at the Laver Cup, 2 years ago, for Roger's retirement match. I said at the time that Rafa cried for the end of his great rival's career, of course, and clearly that was an ending for him, too. Of their rivalry, but also, clearly he knew he was staring at his own tennis mortality. I think he was crying for that, too. That takes nothing away from the sentimentality of the moment, which was lovely. It was the end of something big in tennis, and what it meant to them, in part, only they can know. At a certain altitude, greats only have each other to share it with.

Rafa was crying b/c he was losing his major pigeon! Roger had a little run in 2017 against Nadal, but overall he was owned; esp. on clay! I think I was banned from the Nadal's apprec. thread! Being a stupid Senior, I didn't know you were supposed to only praise the man while posting there! I just never cared for Nadal from the beginning! He stood in the way of the GOAT at the time back in the mid to late 2000's! Djokovic took over whipping him time & time again in important moments thru the 2010's!

 

[Moxie]

Rafa was crying b/c he was losing his major pigeon! Roger had a little run in 2017 against Nadal, but overall he was owned; esp. on clay! I think I was banned from the Nadal's apprec. thread! Being a stupid Senior, I didn't know you were supposed to only praise the man while posting there! I just never cared for Nadal from the beginning! He stood in the way of the GOAT at the time back in the mid to late 2000's! Djokovic took over whipping him time & time again in important moments thru the 2010's!

Ever the sentimentalist!

Clearly, you weren't banned.

 

[Moxie]

This came up when I was trolling around some completely different matches. A study in contrasts: Nadal v. Kyrgios, Beijing final 2017:



I guess the point of putting it up here is to contrast a consummate professional with a wasted talent. I know there are folks around here who don't even give Nick credit for talent. I do. But I swear, this match will make any petulant player we complain about look like a disciplined professional, by contrast. I don't think I ever saw this match, which is likely, given that it would have been in the middle of the night, and the scoreline. It doesn't take long to watch, and frankly, I found it rather shocking, and entertaining, by turns. There is some actual tennis in it, too.

EDIT: I keep trying to post the video, but it doesn't like it. I can find it though. Try searching this on youtube: Kyrgios acted like a child, so Nadal humiliated him. That's the title the poster used.

 

[Fiero425]

This came up when I was trolling around some completely different matches. A study in contrasts: Nadal v. Kyrgios, Beijing final 2017:



I guess the point of putting it up here is to contrast a consummate professional with a wasted talent. I know there are folks around here who don't even give Nick credit for talent. I do. But I swear, this match will make any petulant player we complain about look like a disciplined professional, by contrast. I don't think I ever saw this match, which is likely, given that it would have been in the middle of the night, and the scoreline. It doesn't take long to watch, and frankly, I found it rather shocking, and entertaining, by turns. There is some actual tennis in it, too.

Haters will be haters! Nick's talent is obvious which makes it "a curse!" When you have every shot in the book, then updated chapters manifest, his brain had to short-circuit! I think he defeated Nadal in a 3rd set TB down 5 MP's! I think it was Acapulco, then add on his Wimbledon upset; the guy's talented! It's why others like him, m/b Hana Mandlikova, probably should have won a lot more! She had tons of talent, but Evert owned her by just getting that extra ball back! Hana gave Martina tons of heartburn b/c "in the zone," she could humble any player! Check out their SF & Final at the VS/Avon Chp. in MSG in the 80's!

 

[Kieran]

I think I was banned from the Nadal's apprec. thread! Being a stupid Senior, I didn't know you were supposed to only praise the manwhile posting there!

Yeah, you’re only s’posed to be praising him on this thread too, mofo!

 

[tented]

This came up when I was trolling around some completely different matches. A study in contrasts: Nadal v. Kyrgios, Beijing final 2017:



I guess the point of putting it up here is to contrast a consummate professional with a wasted talent. I know there are folks around here who don't even give Nick credit for talent. I do. But I swear, this match will make any petulant player we complain about look like a disciplined professional, by contrast. I don't think I ever saw this match, which is likely, given that it would have been in the middle of the night, and the scoreline. It doesn't take long to watch, and frankly, I found it rather shocking, and entertaining, by turns. There is some actual tennis in it, too.

EDIT: I keep trying to post the video, but it doesn't like it. I can find it though. Try searching this on youtube: Kyrgios acted like a child, so Nadal humiliated him. That's the title the poster used.

An obvious clickbait title for anyone who actually knows Rafa. I just watched the video, and the title should be: Kyrgios acted like a child, and Nadal played tennis.

 

[Moxie]

An obvious clickbait title for anyone who actually knows Rafa. I just watched the video, and the title should be: Kyrgios acted like a child, and Nadal played tennis.

Perfect title! Yes, I was a little embarrassed to put up the title that the poster used. All Rafa did ws play tennis. AND give the final of a tournament the respect and dignity it deserved, which was far from what Nick did.

 

[Moxie]

Haters will be haters! Nick's talent is obvious which makes it "a curse!" When you have every shot in the book, then updated chapters manifest, his brain had to short-circuit! I think he defeated Nadal in a 3rd set TB down 5 MP's! I think it was Acapulco, then add on his Wimbledon upset; the guy's talented! It's why others like him, m/b Hana Mandlikova, probably should have won a lot more! She had tons of talent, but Evert owned her by just getting that extra ball back! Hana gave Martina tons of heartburn b/c "in the zone," she could humble any player! Check out their SF & Final at the VS/Avon Chp. in MSG in the 80's!

Nick's main problem is not having too many shots at his disposal, but having far too little discipline, too little respect for himself, his opponent, the fans or the game. I don't see the comparison to Mandlikova.

 

[Moxie]

Rafa's retirement got me to finally watch Roger Federer: Twelve Final Days, which I had avoided since it came out. In a way, it takes time to recover and be ready to say goodbye, and watching that was yet another of many saying goodbyes to Roger.

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, highly recommended. The Fedal love is profound and some really touching moments between the two of them - crying together, which has been well documented, but just the overall very obvious love they had for each other. One thing that stood out to me is how Rafa described the feeling of a Grand Slam match against Roger, that there wasn't anything else like it and how he would never feel that again. Some funny stuff too like Rafa complaining about Sonego's allegedly fake grunt, and Berrettini defending Sonego; or Roger making fun of Berrettini needing to look good; or Novak clarifying that some of them were wearing the wrong shirt.

Anyhow, I was struck by the fact that when that Laver Cup took place, it was September of 2022 - just a few months after Rafa's last Slam title and Roland Garros win. So weird to think that, while watching it - that Rafa's retirement was essentially just around the corner. After, he would play two more tournaments in 2022, one in 2023, and then seven this year...so he was really only 10 tournaments and a bit more than two dozen matches behind Roger. Now Andy is retiring as well, and Novak might be in his final days, though that remains to be seen.

Another interesting point of resonance is that Roger's final Laver Cup was just a few weeks after Carlos Alcaraz won his first Slam, signally the beginning of a new era.

I did watch it, and it was very good, so thanks for suggesting it. It was beautifully done, not surprisingly. All of the moments you mentioned. I also loved the build-up to the moment his announcement would drop. Mirka and his parents there. Him talking about how nervous he was, and how it was like the way he felt before a big match. And when he said, before the day of the match, that he felt like he'd been holding it together pretty well, that his fans would even expect him to cry, because he's an emotional guy, and he felt that it was coming. I'm not saying that right, because it makes it sound calculated, and it clearly wasn't...just honest.

It worked out, chronologically, that Rafa arrived last in London, but it also made a nice build-up as they went through his rivals to get to Rafa last. It IS quite poignant what they've come to mean to each other.

In the locker room, after their doubles, Roger was laughing, saying, "Imagine if we'd won it!" And then he said, (I think,) "Fucking Tiafoe!" Tiafoe should take that as a badge of honor.