Mallorca will never be the same again - Rafael Nadal, our tennis hero, has announced that he will hang up his tennis shoes after the Davis Cup in November. And to be honest, we all saw this coming. The injuries of the last few years, the struggles to return - this was not the Nadal we knew. And yet it's heartbreaking to hear the "King of Clay" give his farewell speech.
"It's time" - Nadal's moving words
In his typical modest manner, Nadal announced what we didn't want to hear: "It's time." For more than two decades, the man from Manacor was the figurehead of tennis, and now he is retiring. With a composure that only someone who has achieved everything can have. "My body just won't allow it anymore," he explained in his calm manner, which has earned him millions of fans worldwide. For us here on Mallorca, however, he will always be more than just a tennis player - he is part of our island, our history.
One last time in the Davis Cup
Before officially ending his career, Nadal will represent Spain in the Davis Cup one last time - like a captain steering his ship safely into port. In Málaga he will be Carlos Alcaraz and Roberto Bautista Agut and if you know him, he will give his all to lead Spain to one last triumph. Because there is one thing Nadal has never lost: his tireless passion to fight to the last point.
A career straight out of a picture book
22 Grand Slam titles, 14 French Open and countless unforgettable matches. But what remains is not just his record. It is his way of always being the one who fights on and off the court, who never gives up and who has shown us what it means to be a true champion. His retirement marks the end of an era that we will not soon forget. But luckily he will remain with us on Mallorca, perhaps soon more often in the café in Manacor than on center court.
Nadal remains loyal to Mallorca
And what comes after tennis? Nadal will not disappear. He has big plans for his Tennis academy in Manacor and is looking forward to spending more time with his family and son. Who knows, maybe we'll soon see him as a coach shaping the next generation of champions. But one thing is certain: Rafa will remain on the island - as our champion who never made himself too big, even though he could have done so long ago.
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