One of Rafael Nadal's biggest on-court rivals is wishing him well into retirement. Novak Djokovic took to social media Thursday to offer his "respect"

PARIS: Rafa Nadal will call time on his illustrious but injury-plagued career after next month's Davis Cup Finals, the 22-time Grand Slam champion announced on Thursday (Oct 10), as one of the greatest players in the sport prepares for an emotional farewell.

Rafael Nadal is retiring from professional tennis at age 38 after winning 22 Grand Slam titles — 14 at the French Open — during an unprecedented era he shared with rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Rafael Nadal’s tennis career will be remembered because of the numbers, yes — the 14 French Open trophies, the 22 Grand Slam titles overall, the nearly two decades in the top 10, and so on — and, without a doubt,

The following is Rafa Nadal's retirement statement in which the 22-times Grand Slam champion said on Thursday that he would end his career at the Davis Cup next month:

The sports world reacts to 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal announcing he will retire from tennis after next month’s Davis Cup finals.

Rafael Nadal is one of tennis's highest net-worth players, having amassed a fortune in prize money and sponsorships.

Rafael Nadal is described as a "legend" and "one of the greatest of all time" after the tennis icon confirms he will retire at the end of this season.