We will never fully understand the extent to which Rafael Nadal had to work on his body, the painkillers he relied on, or the suffering he endured to keep his Vamos spirit alive for so long.

He was not one to discuss these personal hardships, especially during competitions. For Nadal, there were no excuses or compromises; you either succeeded or you failed. You either endured the hardships or accepted defeat. Regardless of the outcome, gratitude for another opportunity to compete was consistent.

A few years ago, we began to glimpse the drastic measures he took to extract every bit of energy from his battered body.

After securing his 22nd and final Grand Slam title at the 2022 French Open, Nadal shared that his chronic left foot condition had become so severe that he could only play through a regimen of injections that would numb the foot for two weeks.

When asked how many injections were needed to get him on the court, Nadal humorously replied, “It’s better you don’t know.”

At the age of 38, Nadal announced on Wednesday that he would retire from professional tennis next month, with one last match representing Spain in the Davis Cup.

The choice of the Davis Cup as his farewell event holds significant meaning. In the 2004 Davis Cup final, he shocked the world by defeating No. 2 Andy Roddick, helping Spain to defeat the United States despite being a newcomer with only one minor ATP title to his name. Roddick remarked on Wednesday in a post, “I knew tennis was in big trouble then.”

And indeed, there was much more trouble ahead than anyone anticipated. Nadal claimed dominance on clay, clinching an astounding 14 titles at Roland Garros. He adapted his playstyle to conquer grass, famously overcoming his great rival Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final, regarded as one of the greatest matches in history. His charisma fueled him to four titles at the US Open, and in Australia, where he faced numerous near misses, his remarkable comeback in 2022—recovering from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev—remains one of the sport’s greatest achievements.

Quite impressive for an individual diagnosed with Muller-Weiss syndrome, an arthritic condition affecting the foot, back in 2005. Remarkable for someone dealing with knee problems, back aches, hip issues, and rib cage injuries. Incredible for someone whose physically demanding, relentless style made many wonder if he could withstand a decade in tennis.

Nonetheless, Nadal continued to fight back, pushing his boundaries and amassing an impressive collection of titles.

Ultimately, however, the toll became too great. While it’s heartbreaking to bid farewell to a sporting legend, anyone who has followed his journey over the last two years understands the rationale behind his decision.

If anything, there’s a sense of relief. There’s no longer a need to endure agony for the sport. He has already accomplished so much.

Since that last French Open victory, things have notably changed. Nadal reached the semifinals at Wimbledon shortly after but had to pull out due to a significant abdominal tear sustained during a five-set quarterfinal win against Taylor Fritz. Each subsequent attempt to compete seemed increasingly disappointing.

Nadal’s attempts to return and stave off retirement discussions bore little fruit. Even at this year’s Olympics, where he was eager for one last medal opportunity in Paris, he struggled to keep up. The message from his body was clear: it was time to move on.

Nadal’s departure from tennis means that Novak Djokovic is now the lone survivor among the sport’s Big Four. Roger Federer stepped away a couple of years ago and Andy Murray, plagued by injuries, also exited during the Olympics. Meanwhile, Djokovic is competing in fewer tournaments and did not secure a major title this year, indicating he might not be far behind.

This marks the end of an extraordinary era, but as Nadal mentioned in his farewell video, every story has its beginning and its conclusion.

He achieved everything. He has surpassed enough. Suficiente.