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"title": "Worn-down Nadal will retire at the end of year after Davis Cup",
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"contents": "<div class=\"mb20\">\r\n<div class=\"font-knowledge regular line-height-1-5 text-story color-black f6 pt16 pb20 border-bottom border-gray-22 story-copy\" dir=\"auto\" data-qa-component=\"item-story\">\r\n<div class=\"mb20\">\r\n<div class=\"font-knowledge regular line-height-1-5 text-story color-black f6 pt16 pb20 border-bottom border-gray-22 story-copy\" dir=\"auto\" data-qa-component=\"item-story\">\r\n\r\n\"It has been some difficult years, these last two especially,\" the 38-year-old, who won a record 14 French Open titles, said in a video.\r\n\r\n\"<span class=\"tr-strong\">I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup representing my country. It's closing the circle because one of my first joys was the final in Sevilla in 2004.\"</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">The Davis Cup knockout phase will be played from Nov. 19-24.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">Nadal's career has been hampered by injuries and he missed the 2023 French Open and was beaten in the first round by German Alexander Zverev this year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">The 'King of Clay' won his last Roland Garros title in 2022 and left Paris on a jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">Nadal played only 23 matches in the last two seasons.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">He will hang up his racket two years after his great rival Roger Federer, leaving 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia as the only member of the 'Big Three' still active.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">Earlier on Thursday, Nadal's rival in the youngsters' ranks, Frenchman Richard Gasquet, said he would end his career after next year's French Open.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">Nadal thanked his family and his team for his stellar career, with a special word for his uncle Toni, who was his coach for most of his time on court.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">\"I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sporting career,\" he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">To his fans, Nadal said: \"I can't thank you enough for what you have made me feel. Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true.\"</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">\"I leave with the absolute peace of mind having given my best,\" he added.</span>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"tr-strong\">After refusing any special event after his French Open first-round loss this year, Nadal said he would be back and he is now expected to receive what promises to be an emotional tribute at Roland Garros next year.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Nadal Fact box</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age: 38</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Country: Spain</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ATP ranking: 158 (Highest ranking: 1)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grand Slam titles - 22</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Australian Open (2009, 2022)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Wimbledon (2008, 2010)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* US Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span><b>French Open record</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Nadal made his debut at the French Open in 2005 and has a 112-4 win-loss record at Roland Garros.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* He was knocked out in the fourth round in 2009 by Robin Soderling, while he lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals and 2021 semi-finals.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* In 2016, Nadal withdrew before his third round match due to a wrist injury.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* In 2023, he missed the French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury. The Spaniard said at the time that he expected to retire at the end of the 2024 season.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Knocked out in the first round at Roland Garros in 2024 by Alexander Zverev.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span><b>Early Life</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Born in Manacor, Spain to Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal was a former soccer player who represented Barcelona, RCD Mallorca and Spain.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Introduced to tennis by another uncle, Toni, who encouraged his naturally right-handed nephew to play left-handed as it would give him an advantage.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Turned professional in 2001 and won the junior Davis Cup with Spain in 2002. Won the ATP newcomer of the year in 2003.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span><b>Career</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Won his first ATP singles title in Poland in 2004.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Defeated world number two Andy Roddick to guide Spain to the Davis Cup title in 2004. Won the tournament again in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Won the French Open on his debut in 2005 and a year later beat Roger Federer in the final.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- In 2007, he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Won his first Wimbledon title in 2008 with a five-set victory over Roger Federer, a clash dubbed the 'the greatest tennis match in history'.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in singles. Clinched doubles gold with Marc Lopez at the 2016 Rio Games.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Suffered his first French Open loss in 2009 to Sweden's Robin Soderling in the fourth round.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Regained the title the following year, beating Soderling in the final. Also won Wimbledon for a second time in 2010 before claiming his first US Open title, becoming the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Matched Borg’s record of six French Open titles with his 2011 victory and overtook the Swede in 2012.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Became the first man with eight titles at the same Grand Slam when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the 2013 final at Roland Garros. He also won the US Open that year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Became the first man to win five successive French Open titles in 2014.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Lost to Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals at Roland Garros.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Won his second Grand Slam of 2017 at Flushing Meadows after a 10th French Open title in June.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Claimed an 11th French Open title and his 17th major with victory over Dominic Thiem in 2018.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Defeated Thiem again in the 2019 final to seal his 12th Roland Garros title. He also won a fourth US Open crown by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Matched Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam titles by defeating Djokovic in the French Open final in 2020.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Got his 1,000th victory on the ATP Tour at the 2020 Paris Masters, becoming the fourth man in the professional era to achieve it.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Suffered only his third-ever loss at Roland Garros in 2021 when he was beaten by Djokovic in the semi-finals.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Missed chunks of the 2021 season, including Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open, due to a long-standing foot injury.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Defeated Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final to win a men's record 21st Grand Slam title.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Beat Norway's Casper Ruud to extend his record with his 22nd Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Knocked out of the Wimbledon semi-finals and US Open last-16 in 2022.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- In 2023, failed to retain his Australian Open crown where Djokovic triumphed and tied his record for 22 Grand Slam titles.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Missed the 2023 French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Made his return from injury at the Brisbane International in January before withdrawing from the Australian Open due to a small muscle tear.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Made another comeback during the European claycourt swing, playing a total of eight matches in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome ahead of the French Open.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Skipped Wimbledon in 2024 to focus on preparing for the Paris Olympics, where he was defeated in the singles by eventual champion Novak Djokovic and lost in the doubles quarter-finals partnering Carlos Alcaraz.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Missed the US Open and Laver Cup over fitness concerns.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Announced he will retire after the Davis Cup final at the end of November in Malaga. </span><b>Reuters/DM</b>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>",
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