Rafael Nadal opened the press conference after his Davis Cup match with Botic van de Zandschulp – who prevailed in two sets with a double 6-4 – that it would be his last match of his legendary career. The Spanish champion said that if he had not felt ready he would have ruled himself out, but it was not like that.
“I knew it could be my last match as a professional tennis player. The moments before were exciting and difficult to handle in general. I tried to do it in the best way possible. I can’t thank enough the people who supported me in the stands. The decision was made to let me play.
We knew there was a risk, but David had seen all of us train during the week and he chose me, thinking purely of the sport. I was unable to win the point. In terms of attitude and energy, I didn’t fail, I just didn’t find the level necessary to take the victory. I haven’t competed for a long time but I trained better than today,” analyzed the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
Rafael Nadal© Tenis Espana/Instagram – Fair Use
But now that his career is officially over, how much did Rafa earn in his 20 years as a professional tennis player?
Nadal closed his glorious career with a total of $135 million in prize money, to which all other income related to endorsements must be added. In terms of prize money earnings, the Spaniard is in 2nd place in this particular ranking, preceded by Novak Djokovic, who earned $184 million.
In addition, according to Forbes, the 14-time French Open champion has earned $415 million thanks to endorsements and other commercial activities. In 2024, Nadal was the sixth highest-paid tennis player, with $23.3 million, according to Forbes: his earnings from endorsements and commercial activities amounted to about $20 million of the $23.3 million he earned.