Rafael Nadal retired from professional tennis on Wednesday leaving behind a sporting 'legacy' as tributes flooded in for the 22-time Grand Slam winner.
The 38-year-old's glittering and historic career came to a close as Netherlands defeated Spain in the Davis Cup and Nadal gave an emotional speech that ran over 10 minutes long to more than 10,000 fans in Malaga, AFP reported.
After 23 years in the game and many struggles with injury, Nadal retires as the second-most successful men's singles player of all time, added the international news agency.
The achievements have to be seen in writing to be believed: 22 Grand Slam titles, 92 ATP Tour titles, two Olympic gold medals, four Davis Cup final triumphs, 209 weeks as world number one, 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10, BBC reported.
"I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one but a personal one," AFP quoted Nadal as saying at his retirement ceremony.
"I understand that the love I have received, if it was just for what happened on the court, would not be the same."
Nadal said he hoped people would remember him for more than just his record-breaking achievements on the court, including 14 French Open titles and a record 81-match unbeaten streak on the red dirt which made him the 'King of Clay'.
According to AFP, the Spaniard never smashed a racquet on court during his career and was adored for his positive attitude.
"The titles, the numbers are there, so people probably know that, but the way that I would like to be remembered more is like a good person, from a small village in Mallorca," continued Nadal.
"I just want to be remembered as a good person, a kid that followed their dreams and achieved (even) more than what I had dreamed."
Nadal was celebrated with a video montage on the many screens around the Martin Carpena arena in Malaga featuring many tennis greats.
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams among others left messages in the video, alongside former football stars including David Beckham, Raul and Andres Iniesta, who retired from playing in October.
"Your tenacity, your fighting spirit, the energy that you brought, the power, is something that will be studied and transferred to many generations coming up," said Djokovic, who has the record of 24 Grand Slam men's singles titles and is the last of the 'big three' still playing.
"Congratulations on the most incredible career, it was such a privilege to play with you but also against you," said Federer, Nadal's greatest rival, who retired in 2022 with 20 Grand Slams.
According to AFP, Nadal's last match was a 6-4, 6-4 defeat by Botic van de Zandschulp in the first singles rubber of Tuesday's Davis Cup quarter-final, and although Carlos Alcaraz forced a doubles decider Spain were eventually defeated to bring the curtain down on his career.
"I'm not tired of playing tennis, it's just that my body has reached a moment where it doesn't want to play any more, so I have to accept the situation," said Nadal.
When Nadal emerged as a prodigious teenager, making his ATP Tour debut in 1999 aged 15, he was known simply for being the nephew of Barcelona and Spain footballer Miguel Angel, BBC reported, adding, fast forward a couple of decades retired as one of the most recognisable athletes on the planet. -- Agencies
