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

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.”

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.

Mitsides Lifts First-Half Profit 14% As Margin Gains Offset Softer Sales

Mitsides Public Company Ltd posted a solid improvement in first-half profitability in 2026, with net profit rising almost 14 per cent despite a modest decline in revenue, supported by a stronger gross margin and lower financing costs.

According to the group’s interim financial statements, published on its website (Mitsides Group), profit after tax increased to €727,134 in the six months to June 30, from €640,011 a year earlier, an advance of 13.6 per cent.

Margins and Finance Costs Drive The Improvement

Turnover edged down 1.05 per cent to €18.92 million, compared with €19.12 million in the corresponding period of 2025. Mitsides, which produces and distributes flour and pasta, imports and distributes food products, trades grain and operates in Serbia through its wholly owned subsidiary Mitsides Point, nonetheless delivered stronger profitability across key lines.

The main driver was a wider gross margin, which increased to 27.96 per cent from 26.7 per cent a year earlier. Operating profit also improved, rising to €1.07 million from €1.03 million in the first half of 2025.

At the same time, selling, promotion and administrative expenses increased to €4.21 million, or 22.25 per cent of sales, from €4.03 million, or 21.08 per cent of sales, a year earlier. Even with that rise in overheads, the group benefited from lower borrowing costs, helping preserve momentum at the bottom line.

Lower Borrowing Costs Support Earnings

Net finance expenses fell 25 per cent to €163,225 from €217,775. As a result, profit before tax climbed to €902,192 from €810,508 in the comparable period of 2025. Earnings per share rose to 8.87 cents from 7.81 cents.

The company also reported an improvement in short-term liquidity. Its current ratio increased to 1.35 at the end of June from 1.25 at the end of 2025, although the quick ratio softened to 0.63 from 0.69.

Balance Sheet Strength Improves

Total assets stood at €38.01 million, down from €40.01 million at the end of December, while shareholders’ equity increased to €19.95 million from €19.23 million. Net asset value per share rose to €2.43 from €2.35.

At June 30, the group had €6.94 million in floating-rate borrowings, trade receivables of €7.75 million and bank balances of €717,088.

Growth Plans Continue Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

Looking ahead, Mitsides said it will continue investing to expand exports while defending its position in the Cypriot market. The group also highlighted uncertainty linked to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as persistent inflationary pressures.

In Serbia, where operations are carried out through the wholly owned subsidiary Mitsides Point D.o.o., the business continued to operate against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty. The company noted that Serbia remains committed to its European path, with the government aiming to complete the technical criteria for EU accession by the end of 2026.

The board did not recommend an interim dividend for the period. Separately, Mitsides completed payment in August of a €410,000 final dividend, equivalent to €0.05 per share, drawn from profits accumulated during the 2023 financial year.

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