Tennis great Rafael Nadal announced his impending retirement from the sport on Thursday at age 38 after winning 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.

Rafael Nadal's Davis Cup defeat on Tuesday marked his last ever professional tennis match, with the Spaniard telling the Malaga crowd he is retiring against his will due to a long-term hip injury

Now 38, Nadal bid farewell to the sport he ruled for nearly two decades. His exit comes after Spain's defeat to the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday night