Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has announced his upcoming retirement from the sport after a glittering career in which he amassed 22 grand slam titles.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Nadal’s final tournament will be with Spain at the Davis Cup finals in November.

The 38-year-old last played at the Paris Olympics but continuing injury struggles, which have hampered him throughout his career, have severely limited his time on the court over the past two seasons.

“Hello everyone, I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media. “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 a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end.

“And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”