Rafael Nadal to Make an Appearance at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah

Rafael Nadal is the ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).

Rafael Nadal to Make an Appearance at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah

Rafael Nadal

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Rafael Nadal will return to Jeddah next week for the Next Gen ATP Finals 2025, taking on a role that blends mentorship, promotion, and development support for one of the sport’s fastest-growing markets. The 39-year-old has not made any tournament appearances since the 2025 Roland Garros, where he was honored with an emotional farewell ceremony.

Nadal is the ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) and has continued to expand his involvement in Saudi Arabia’s tennis project since taking the position in February 2024. The Spaniard is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever grace the court, having won 22 Grand Slams in his career.

Several players look to him as their role model, particularly the young generation of players. So, his presence is expected to form his commitment to nurturing young players in the region and also at the Next Gen ATP Finals. He will meet the fans, take part in training sessions, and also be part of a full slate of development-focused activities surrounding the event.

This year’s Next Gen ATP Finals will feature a competitive mix of talented players eager to make a name for themselves in the sport. Learner Tien, who reached the final last year, will mark his return, alongside Alexander Blockx, Dino Prizmic, Martin Landaluce, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Nishesh Basavareddy, Rafael Jodar, and Justin Engel.

The tournament is set to kick off on December 17 and run until the 21st. In a press release via ATP, Nadal revealed that the reason he’s coming back to Jeddah for the Next Gen ATP Finals is to see the development levels across the Saudi Kingdom and inspire the next generation of players on tour:

As I have been saying, it’s my goal to help inspire the next generation, in Saudi Arabia and around the world. Working together with the STF [Saudi Tennis Federation] to develop the huge potential of tennis in the Kingdom, which has already made impressive progress, is one key element. The reason for me to come back is to see the development at all levels and to help towards that goal.

Nadal’s last competitive match on the court was at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, in November 2024. There, he waved goodbye to professional tennis after losing to Dutch star Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. That led to Spain eventually crashing out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik can reach a record set by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on tour at the Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to reach a record that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic set on tour. Sinner and Alcaraz are looking ahead to the 2026 Australian Open in Melbourne, where they could meet for the fourth Grand Slam final after facing each other in the finals of Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open this year.

Rafael Nadal Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal (inset), Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (via NYTimes)

Should Alcaraz and Sinner meet in the Australian Open final, they would become the first pair on tour since 2011-2012 to contest four consecutive Grand Slam finals against each other. In doing so, they would be matching the rivalry of Nadal and Djokovic, who contested in four consecutive Grand Slam finals between 2011 and 2012.

Sinner would be defending the Australian Open title, having won it in 2024 and 2025. He has been the best player on the hard court this season and remains one of the favorites to clinch the title for the third time. Meanwhile, Alcaraz has never reached the semi-finals of the tournament in his career.

His best record in Melbourne was in 2024 and 2025, reaching the quarter-finals. Should Alcaraz win the Australian Open in January, he will become the youngest player to complete a Career Grand Slam.

Also Read: Legendary Billie Jean King Calls Out Nick Kyrgios-Aryna Sabalenka Battle of the Sexes: “Mine was for Social Change, This is Not”