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.

MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal’s remarkable tennis career came to end on Tuesday and he heads into retirement after Spain lost to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at the Davis Cup Final 8.

Fittingly, his bookend Grand Slam titles came at Roland Garros, and it’s impossible to discuss Nadal's career without mentioning that site. Still, it’s also important to remember that he completed a career Grand Slam, earning at least two trophies at each of his sport’s four most prestigious tournaments.

Rafael Nadal has lost 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup in what may have been the last match of his career.

Spain fell behind after Nadal lost the day’s opening match and could not recover to defeat the Netherlands in Tuesday’s quarterfinal matches.

Nadal's late career has been a story of injuries. The long ending is a reminder of the miracle that he lasted until now