Rafael Nadal's farewell at the Davis Cup: When he'll play, how to watch on TV and more to know

Rafael Nal is getting set to retire from professional tennis after one last event: He will be part of Spain's team at Davis Cup finals that start Tuesday in front of a home crowd in Malaga.

38-year-old Nal has been on tour for more than 20 years and is second member of so-called Big Three of men’s tennis to stop playing. Roger Federer announced his departure in 2022, while Novak Djokovic is still near top of game.

“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," Nal said. "And I think it is appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Here is a guide to Nal's goodbye to tennis:

— In U.S.: Tennis Channel

— Or countries will be listed here as of Monday.

It's not entirely clear when Nal's last match will come, in large part because Davis Cup is a team event and what's now known as “Final 8” begins at quarterfinal stage. Spain will get things started against Nerlands on Tuesday. Win that, and Spaniards would vance to semifinals Friday against Cana or Germany (who meet each or Wednesday). or quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday: United States vs. Australia, and defending champion Italy vs. Argentina. championship round will be Sunday. re are two matches in singles and one in doubles in each matchup; first country to win twice progresses. or wild card in all of this: No one knows for sure wher Nal will be chosen by Spain's captain, David Ferrer, to play singles, doubles, both or — oretically possible, if unlikely — neir.

Nal is joined on Spain’s roster by four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz , Roberto Bautista Agut, Pedro Martinez and Marcel Granollers.

biggest reason he is rey to move on is that he has been bored by a series of injuries, including a painful foot, abdominal muscle problems and a hip issue that required surgery last season. “ reality is that it has been some difficult years, se last two especially," Nal said. "I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.”

Nal has not played much at all each of last two seasons due to injuries; he's just 12-7 in 2024. His most recent official competition anywhere came in early August at Paris Olympics, where he lost to his longtime rival — and eventual gold medalist — Djokovic in second round of singles , and reached doubles quarterfinals alongside Alcaraz before bowing out. Nal also played two exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia last month.

Nal finishes with 22 Grand Slam singles titles, behind only Djokovic's 24 among men in history of tennis, and ahe of Federer's 20. breakdown: 14 at French Open , four at U.S. Open, two at Wimbledon, two at Australian Open. Nal's last major championship came in Paris in 2022, when he needed nerve-numbing injections in his left foot .

Nal has been a part of Spain's team at some stage of Davis Cup during five years when country won title — in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019. That first title came after a teenage Nal defeated n-No. 2-ranked Andy Roddick as Spain got past U.S. “I am very excited that my last tournament will be final of Davis Cup and representing my country,” Nal said. "I think I’ve come full circle, because one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”