Rafael Nadal has bade an emotional farewell to a legendary tennis career in a video which thanks his family, his team and his legion of adoring fans.

The Spanish tennis icon is considered one of the greatest to ever play the game – and by some the best of all – but has shocked supporters by confirming he will soon be hanging up his racket for good.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has struggled with injuries over the last few years and, fittingly, his final act on court will be playing for Spain in front of home fans in Malaga in the Davis Cup.

The 38-year-old’s decision to join Roger Federer in retirement will leave Novak Djokovic as the last man standing from the triumvirate who have dominated tennis for two decades.

In a tear-jerking clip, Nadal said goodbye to the sport and insisted he ‘leaves with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best’.

The tennis great said: ‘Hello everyone, I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially.

‘I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.

‘But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.

‘But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.

‘I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport: my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals. I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.

‘Talking about my team is a little bit more difficult for me, because in the end my team has been a very important part of my life. They are not just my co-workers, they are my friends.

‘They have been by my side at all the times I have really needed them. Very bad moments, very good moments, moments when I had to be pushed, moments they gave me more slack. We have lived so much together that it is hard to explain.

‘My family is everything to me. My mother: I think she has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we would always have everything.

‘My wife Mery: we’ve been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done. I think you’ve been the perfect travel companion during all these years of career.

‘To come home and see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue.

‘My sister, I think we have always had an incredible relationship. My uncle [Toni], who is the reason I started playing tennis. I believe that thanks to him, I have also been able to overcome many situations that have been difficult in my sporting career.

‘And to my father, who I believe has been a source of inspiration for me in every sense of the word. I think he has been an example of effort, of overcoming. Many, many thanks to my father in a very, very special way.

And finally, you, the fans. I can’t thank you enough for what you have made me feel. You have given me the energy I have needed at every moment. Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true.

‘I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way. I can only end by saying a thousand thanks to all and see you soon.’

The first half of Nadal’s career was defined by his rivalry with close friend Federer; the latter portion by his battles with Djokovic. Of all his records and accolades, the one that will surely never be repeated is his 14 French Open titles.

He was a relentless competitor on the court and a flawless ambassador off it. Away from the camera, in the small interactions with support staff at events, he was unfailingly polite and humble and that is the truest measure of the man.

The tennis icon erupted onto the scene with a stunning French Open win at just 19 in 2005 at his first attempt, beating Roger Federer in the semis along the way – one of only four to beat the great Swiss that year.

He would later follow it up with another 13 titles at Roland Garros, with nine coming in his first 10 attempts, becoming one of the most dominant athletes in any sport in one specific event.

By 24 he had won all available grand slam titles – becoming the youngest to ever do so in the process – and has also twice earned Olympic gold for Spain (singles in 2008, doubles in 2016).

Yet, as he reflects in his message, all great things must come to an end, and the final of the upcoming Davis Cup will be Nadal’s final foray onto the court as a professional tennis player.

Nadal has played out some of the sport’s most memorable matches, and his endeavour, determination, ability to play far beyond the pain barrier and sheer will to have earned him universal acclaim, from tennis and beyond.

From the incredible Wimbledon final in 2008, to his almost unbelievable triumph in Melbourne in 2022 fighting back from two sets down – the first to ever do so in the Open Era at the Australian Open – Nadal’s class was enduring.

Though naturally right-handed, he plays with his non-dominant hand which only underlines his talent and skill, which took him to the pinnacle of the sport.