He also spent his entire career battling his own body, with Nadal’s injuries both acute and chronic carving the trajectory of his career and to an extent the way he played tennis. King of clay. Warrior.

In the years that followed, Nadal worked to improve his all-court game and his serve, and his results away from clay improved. He missed the Australian Open in 2006 but won his second Roland Garros title before reaching that year’s Wimbledon final and U.S. Open quarters. Roger Federer schooled him on Centre Court, winning the first set 6-0.

Rafael Nadal of Team Spain gets emotional while watching a video on the giants screens during his farewell after Spain being knocked out on the quarterfinal tie between Netherlands and Spain during the Davis Cup Finals at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on November 19,

Tennis legend Roger Federer wrote a heartfelt letter to Rafael Nadal on Tuesday before the Spanish star joins him in retirement. Nadal is participating in the Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain this week before saying goodbye to the sport he has played professionally since 2001.

Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest men's tennis players in history, closed out his legendary career playing for Spain in the Davis Cup.

Nadal endured repeated injuries over his two decades, some substantial with long delays, but he always found his way back to familiar, brilliant

It was an emotional farewell from tennis for Nadal this week after Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup in Malaga