When Spain will face the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarterfinals this week, it will mark the end of the inspiring career of Rafael Nadal. The 38-year-old tennis icon recently announced via an emotional video on social media that he would retire after this tournament, 19 years after securing his first Grand Slam title and 25 years after signing his first major endorsement deal with Nike. Extraordinary success, everlasting legacy Over his 25-year career, Rafael Nadal has achieved extraordinary success, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
He won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, setting a men’s record that was later surpassed by Novak Djokovic, and earned $134.9 million in career prize money, the second-highest in ATP history, trailing only Djokovic. Nadal also accumulated over $415 million from endorsements, appearances, and business ventures, bringing his total pretax earnings to more than $550 million, according to Forbes estimates.
Rafael Nadal achievements While this total is significantly less than Roger Federer’s $1.1 billion career earnings before retiring in 2022, Nadal’s achievements place him on par with Djokovic and far ahead of most athletes in tennis and beyond. Even Serena Williams, who retired in 2022 after winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles and revolutionizing female athlete compensation, ended her career approximately $120 million behind Nadal.
Rafael Nadal’s marketability remains strong. He reportedly earned $23 mil.
