Rafael Nadal's Full Retirement Ceremony | 2024 Davis Cup Final

I'll start with those who are here today Thank you all the audience Honestly these have been 20 years of a professional career in which you have always carried me on your shoulders You helped me win the next point in good moments and in bad moments without a doubt you pushed me to keep fighting And I have been able to live with all of you obviously I want to generalize to all of Spain but also to the world in general Honestly I have felt extremely lucky To receive so much love from all around the world and especially here in Spain I want to continue celebrating the Dutch team today I want to thank the entire Spanish team that is here Not only to all of you who have allowed me to live The excitement of playing in the Davis Cup again It's clear that it hasn't gone as we all would have wanted I would have loved to have been able to help more than I did but honestly I gave everything I had And I want to sincerely thank you for giving me the opportunity To work as a team player these past few days Many of the most exciting moments of my career I have lived through with many of you here It has been an incredible privilege and honor to be part of the Spanish team truly We have enjoyed it and achieved many beautiful things together And now it's your turn to keep living them I'm sure that 's exactly how it will be Thank you all so much really Well the truth is that one never wants to reach this moment I honestly am not tired of playing tennis Simply the body has reached a point where it no longer wants to play tennis so we have to accept the situation I truly feel very privileged I have been able to make one of my hobbies into my career It was much longer than I had ever imagined I can only thank life and thank everyone who is here behind me Some are not many are You have family especially without any doubt Team friends it's not the time right now to personalize Because it's really hard and I'm going to forget people But you have been an unforgettable part of my daily life over these years I am a person who believes in continuity in keeping the people who truly love you and who truly make your life better close to you This is what I have tried to do my whole life keep the team together keep close family make few changes to my team And that has led me to not having a personal relationship with all of you a professional relationship but really having a personal relationship It goes much further than the professional career we've shared For all of this thank you very much Without you none of this would have been possible and I say that from the bottom of my heart I also know that it's a No need to go into too much detail honestly But in that sense I also want to thank To all who have been by my side at some point at the level of companies at the level of help to the Spanish Federation To all the sponsors who have accompanied me on the journey Some have stayed and have been with me all my life Others were part of some moment in my life Without exception incredibly grateful for the trust for supporting me unconditionally It has meant a lot to me to have the support of very important companies and especially that they have believed in me all these years They have made me feel safe and really good Being part of all of your family Thank you all so much I don't want to forget the media honestly You have been with me accompanying me telling what has been my story In many places around the world Some traveling more others traveling less But I want to thank you for the way you have treated me most of the time Sometimes I may have made mistakes in things played many games badly others well but I have felt very well treated by you And most importantly to me is that I believe there has always been a relationship of respect with all of you And even though you do your work and I do mine I greatly appreciate the way you have treated me And that you have been able to tell the world the story I have had which has been a precious story for me with moments that have been bad But the reality is that the vast majority have been truly good and unforgettable So thank you very much for being part of my story as well To the entire sports industry the ATP the ITF everyone Well I said before but the Spanish Tennis Federation Baleares Federation all of you who make this sport remain at the top of the world We are a global sport You make our sport continue to move masses And I encourage you to continue on the path you have been following for so long I am a huge fan of sports in general I am going to retire from professional tennis but I am still here I hope to continue being a good ambassador for tennis That is what I have tried to do my whole life I have tried to strive every day to better to achieve goals but I have tried to do so with respect and humility From appreciating all the good things that have happened to me I think I have tried something that is the most important thing in this world for me What it means to be a good person I hope you have also perceived it that way Honestly I am leaving the world of professional tennis Having found so many friends along the way I have so many people I would like to thank and who have gone through tournaments with me People who have worked with me in the ATP It's hard for me to remember everyone but I really believe I'm leaving with peace of mind That I have somehow left a legacy as I truly feel it to be not only in sports but also personally Because I understand that the affection I receive around the world if it were only for what I do on the track would not be the same Thank you very much for everything I want to say my final words of thanks to my family who have never failed me They have been with me in moments when things seemed impossible in moments when things were going well they have kept me grounded They have hardly ever let me get up and I think that makes today's moment and what is going to happen in the future much easier to handle I know there is a process I don't know if it's difficult but all changes in life involve an adaptation process And I am at peace because I truly believe that I have given you a good education which allows me to face what is coming with calmness With the personal satisfaction of having done everything I could until the end and genuinely I am calm because I have a great family around me You help me with everything I need on a daily basis Thank you very much Rafa in this incredible journey you have given us You close a circle that began somehow in the 2004 Ibis Cup Your commitment in always defending the colors of Spain Both in the Ibis Cup and the Olympic Games it has reached our hearts And in this recognition of your incredible career They are going to present you with a very special award two personalities from the world of sports the president of the ITF Mr David Haggerty and the president of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation Mr Miguel Díaz Román For everything you have done for tennis For the development of sports around the world Thank you very much Mr Haggerty Miguel Díaz Rafa millions of people countless people who would like to tell you so much right now with their heart and soul Your memories that you have left us are unforgettable and since it is very difficult to express it with words I am going to ask you Rafa to look at that screen So that we can all watch this video together The truth is that no one comes to mind who better represents the values of sports and life Thank you on my part and I believe on behalf of many Spaniards for always making us feel alive for always moving us And for having given us so many joys A sports legend with values both on and off the court that have inspired me in my career and in my life My God you have been so important in my career you have inspired me to have so many winners to keep going to fight to improve Basically to play as you do The passion and intensity with which you have played was something that I think all tennis players Aspiran and what all tennis fans will remember It has been incredible to see Your tenacity your fighting spirit the energy you have brought the power is something that will be studied and something that will be transferred For many generations to come I have been very honored and moved to be called your rival The world of tennis and the world of sport They will lose the incredible energy you brought to the field There is much to embrace much to celebrate Hello Rafa I have been very lucky to see you grow as a tennis player and as a person I want to congratulate you of course In all your victories throughout your career Very very special Congratulations on your most incredible career It was a privilege to play with you but especially against you Some of my favorites with you Rafa The 2008 Wimbledon final where you beat me A generational transfer You will be eternal I want to thank you for all the moments shared on the circuit For everything we have learned from you Thank you for filling our hearts with your tennis with your comebacks Your passion that you put into every point I believe your legacy will be eternal I wish you all the best for what 's to come With your wonderful family Congratulations on your most incredible career Spain are the 2019 world champions I'm going to really annoy you It will be strange to see tennis without you there I wish you the best for what is to come Hello friend Congratulations on your incredible career A kiss for you and your family Many congratulations A strong hug friend A big hug and thank you for everything Rafael A very big hug and many thanks for everything Rafa you'retired now But your legacy starts now The question is simple How would you like to be remembered in the future Well I understand it in English In some way as I said before The titles the numbers are there So people probably know But the way I would like to be remembered It's like a kind person from a small village in Mallorca As I said from a small village in Majorca which had the luck to have my grandfather who was a tennis coach in my village When I was a very young child And I had a big family that supported me at every moment Just a child who followed his dreams who worked as hard as he could To be where I am today And at the end of the day being honest many people work hard many people try their best every day But I am one of those who has been very fortunate that life gave me the opportunity to have unforgettable experiences thanks to tennis So I just want to be remembered as a good person and a child who follows his dreams to achieve more than what I have done Good evening Rafa I can speak on behalf of Spanish tennis and I have been touched by world tennis You all know very well what it has meant for the world of this sport I don't want to forget what the people are You have had them around since you started playing tennis Many of them are here and have made it possible for you to be what you have been professionally and personally Someone who has been remembered all their life We will miss you very much That's right Rafa That will always remain in history I will always be brief because everything has already been said Everything you think about yourself values respect humility tenacity consistency You have set the example that any person any player wants to be You have done it But I always say that the best education is example You have been our example Our example as a person and our tennis example Rafa And to finish There are people who are remembered for their achievements in life regardless of what they are There are people who are remembered until the end of their days And there are people who are remembered forever You will be remembered forever Well really thank you so much for staying until the end It means a lot to me to have been able to say goodbye Here in Spain in this case in Málaga I am more than happy and grateful for everything I had forgotten to say something before And they are my biggest rivals My rivals have certainly pushed me to have a much longer and more successful career What he would have had without having great rivals in front of him David has been one of them and others who are not here But I really appreciate you sharing so much together I say goodbye to you as a professional tennis player I hope the person stays around for many years We will see each other for sure And thank you all so much really Thank you a thousand thanks Rafa know that the pioneers who laid the first stones of Spanish sports are very proud of you Manolo Santana Seve Ballesteros Angel Nieto now they are applauding you from heave Because it hangs on the racket the greatest Spanish athlete of all time That flame you carried in the Olympic torch of Paris Keep it lit for all eternity Ladies and gentlemen if anyone is still sitting please stand up The career ends but a legacy begins Forever Rafa Naval