22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will retire from tennis after next month's Davis Cup finals

Rafael Nadal (Pic: File Pic)

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday he will retire from tennis at age 38 following next month's Davis Cup finals.

Nadal won 22 Grand Slam singles titles during an unprecedented era he shared with his rivals in the so-called Big Three, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

In an announcement on social media, the Spaniard indicated his decision was related to persistent injury problems.

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"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", Nadal said.

Nadal added he was "very excited" to finish his career at the Davis Cup, which will be played in Malaga, Spain.

Nadal has not played since the Paris Olympics, where he lost to old rival Djokovic in the second round of the singles tournament and reached the quarterfinals of the men's doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.

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