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Rafael Nadal retires from tennis at the end of the 2024 season

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 11, 2024

The Spanish legend will end his professional career at the Davis Cup final, reports ATP.

KEY FACTS

Rafael Nadal announced that he will retire at the end of the 2024 season on social network X. “Hello everyone, I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in Spanish in the video.
The 38-year-old Spaniard will participate in his last. professional Davis Cup finals tournament in Malaga from November 19 to 24.
Rafael Nadal is a 92-time tour-level champion, and spent 209 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP rankings.
He is a 22-time winner of Grand Slam titles, which includes a record 14 Roland Garros crowns.

KEY QUOTE

“Obviously this is a difficult decision and it took me a while to make it, but in this life, everything has a beginning and an end and I think the time is right to end a career that has been long and far more successful than I could have imagined.”

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WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Nadal will end his storied career on home soil in Malaga, where he will be part of Spain’s Davis Cup squad, which also includes Carlos Alcaraz. The host nation play their quarter-final match against the Netherlands on Tuesday 19 November at 17:00 local time. “I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and the presentation of my country,” said the tennis player.

“I think I’ve come full circle because one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience.” Nadal, who is 12-7 so far in 2024, went on to thank his ATP Tour rivals, his team and his family (including his uncle and former coach Toni Nadal). Although his body has rarely allowed him to compete at full fitness over the past two seasons, the Spaniard’s characteristic dedication to the sport has not waned. He attributes part of his desire to continue playing for so long to the advent of his son, Rafael. “Coming home and seeing my son grow every day was the force that really kept me alive and with the energy to continue,” says the Spaniard.

SPANISH LEGEND

Rafael Nadal is extremely popular among fans all over the world. His powerful left-footed strokes, combined with his almost unrivaled desire to compete and his role as part of the ‘Big Three’ alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, mean that he will end his career as one of the greatest icons of tennis.

“Finally, you the fans – I can’t thank you enough for what you made me feel,” Nadal said at the end of the video. “You gave me the energy I needed at every moment. Really everything I experienced was a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind that I have given my best and that I have made an effort in every way. I can only end with a thousand thanks to everyone and see you soon.”

FORBES ESTIMATES

According to our estimates, Nadal is the sixth highest-paid tennis star in 2024 with an income of $23.3 million. About $23 million of that amount is off-court income from various endorsement deals, as injuries kept him out of most major tournaments this past year. The exception is the French Open, where he lost in the first round to Alexander Zverev.

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Ryanair Will Require Checked Bags To Be Dropped Off 60 Minutes Before Departure

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 29, 2026

Ryanair passengers checking luggage will need to drop off their bags at least 60 minutes before departure from 10 November, giving travellers less time to use the airline’s airport bag-drop service.

Until the change, passengers can hand over checked luggage up to 40 minutes before their scheduled departure. The new deadline will apply at all airports served by Ryanair.

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More Time For Security And Passport Control

Announced in April, the policy is intended to give passengers more time to clear security and passport control, where queues can lengthen during busy travel periods. Ryanair says about 20% of its passengers check in a bag.

“This small change will give the 20% of Ryanair passengers who check in a bag more time to clear airport security and passport control queues and get to their departure gate before boarding begins,” said Dara Brady, the airline’s chief marketing officer.

Brady urged passengers using airport bag drop to arrive in good time and complete both check-in and baggage drop before the revised 60-minute cutoff.

Higher Fares And Route Cuts In Focus

The baggage deadline comes as Ryanair’s leadership warns of potential pressure on fares and capacity across Europe. Chief executive Michael O’Leary recently told Euronews that airfares could see their biggest increase in European history over the next 12 months.

O’Leary said airlines could be largely unhedged against higher jet-fuel prices from April 2027, with fare increases passed on to customers potentially reaching 20%. He also forecast that airline failures and takeovers could reduce the number of available seats.

Ryanair has also announced plans to reduce routes to Belgium, citing the country’s proposed increase in aviation tax from €2 to €7 in January 2027.

Europe’s largest airline operates bases across the continent, including its headquarters in Dublin, as well as locations in Marseille, Berlin, Athens, Milan and Barcelona.