How Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem all said goodbye to tennis in different ways in 2024 as they retired

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The 2024 season saw three big names retire from the ATP Tour. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem all stepped away from the sport at different stages of the season. Nadal's farewell came at the Davis Cup Finals, where Spain were beaten by Netherlands in the quarter-finals. We look back on how Nadal, Murray and Thiem said goodbye to tennis this year.

A look at some of Nadal's greatest moments as tennis great bows out

Video credit: TNT Sports

It was a year for retirements on the ATP Tour.

Rafael Nadal pulled the curtain down on his legendary career in front of a home crowd at the Davis Cup Finals, while Andy Murray said farewell at the Paris Olympics.

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem also retired at the age of 31.

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We look back at how - and why - the trio opted to step away from the sport.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal had indicated 2024 would likely would be his final season before retirement - and so it proved.

There was hope at times that Nadal would play on for longer; he started the season positively by reaching the quarter-finals in Brisbane and then had a run to the last 16 in Madrid.

Ahead of the French Open he said he was "feeling competitive in practice" and remained unsure if this would be his last appearance at the Grand Slam.

"Maybe the last one, maybe not," he said with a smile.

But after a first-round exit at Roland-Garros and then missing out on an Olympic medal in singles and doubles, before withdrawing from the US Open and Laver Cup, it looked unlikely that Nadal would be back in 2025.

Instead, he announced his farewell ahead of the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, which proved an emotional occasion.

Nadal bids tearful farewell as career ends with Davis Cup Finals defeat

Video credit: SNTV

As tributes flooded in from tennis greats and stars from other sports, Nadal was beaten in the final match of his career by Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp.

Nadal then watched on as Spain lost 2-1 to confirm the end of his storied career.

Nadal, who said afterwards "I'm not tired of playing tennis, but it's my body that doesn't want to play anymore, so I have to accept the situation", finished with 22 Grand Slams and 92 career titles.

He spent a record 912 weeks in the top 10 in the rankings and is unquestionably the greatest clay-court player of all-time.

Highlights: Nadal suffers defeat at Davis Cup in possible final match

Video credit: SNTV

Andy Murray

Before Nadal bowed out, it was the turn of Andy Murray.

Once a member of the ‘Big Four’ along with Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Murray ended questions over his future in February by saying he was unlikely to play beyond the summer.

A Wimbledon farewell looked to be on the cards, but that seemed in jeopardy as a spirited run in Miami ended with Murray rupturing ankle ligaments in defeat to Tomas Machac.

Murray returned in time to play the French Open, but there was to be no singles farewell at Wimbledon due to a back issue. Instead, Murray said goodbye to his home Slam in doubles alongside brother Jamie.

Andy Murray is embraced by his emotional brother Jamie during his farewell to Wimbledon

Image credit: Getty Images

The pair lost in the first round and Murray teared up afterwards as he was cheered by the Centre Court crowd for the last time.

"I want to play forever," he said. "I love the sport. It’s given me so, so much. It taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop, so it is hard."

That was not the end for Murray - that came at the Paris Olympics where he partnered Dan Evans in the doubles.

There, Murray ensured he retired in fitting fashion after a dramatic week that saw him and Evans save multiple match points in successive matches.

Watch emotional final point of Murray's legendary career as Team GB doubles run ends

Video credit: TNT Sports

Murray said it "felt right" to end his career at the Olympics, where he was a two-time singles winner.

He has not been able to stay away from the sport for long as he has agreed to coach Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open. Murray will be trying to help his old rival win a record-breaking 25th major title.

Dominic Thiem

Another big-name retirement in 2024 was Dominic Thiem.

Armed with one of the most devastating single-handed backhands, Thiem looked set to play a major part in the future of men’s tennis when he made his Grand Slam breakthrough by winning the 2020 US Open.

He had been knocking at the door for several years, runner-up in three previous Grand Slam finals, and reached No. 3 in the rankings.

But his form dropped in 2021 as he admitted to struggling with motivation.

He since battled wrist and knee injuries, and in 2022, fell out of the top 300 in the rankings.

His final match saw him beaten in the first round of the Vienna Open.

"I've had success and trophies which I never dreamt of. It was an incredible journey," Thiem said.

Top 5 shots from Thiem's career

Video credit: TNT Sports

"In the end, I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career at the end of this season is the only right one."

To appreciate just how good Thiem was at his peak, one only needs to look at his close head-to-head records against the very best - 5-2 in his last seven matches against Novak Djokovic, 4-4 in his last eight matches against Rafael Nadal, and 5-2 overall against Roger Federer.

"No matter the surface, you always found a way to beat me with your thunderous backhands," wrote the Swiss legend in tribute to Thiem. "But more importantly, you did it with grace and sportsmanship."

Wesley Koolhof

Former doubles world No. 1 Wesley Koolhof also retired after the Davis Cup Finals.

The 35-year-old says he made the decision after winning Wimbledon alongside Neal Skupski in 2023.

"I had accomplished everything I wanted to achieve, and winning the title on the hallowed grass was basically the last thing to tick off.

Wesley Koolhof & Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup 2024

Image credit: Getty Images

"One day, I would love to start a family. You see a lot of doubles guys travelling with their little ones, or need to leave their kids because there is a tournament to play. I don't see myself doing that. It was not that long after that moment when I decided that the 2024 season would be the last of my career."

Koolhof helped Netherlands reach the Davis Cup final, where they were beaten by Italy.

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