“I am trying…,” Rafael Nadal makes major confession about life after retirement after being named Spain’s best athlete
Rafael Nadal bid farewell to tennis as an active player last November at the Davis Cup, closing a legendary chapter after injuries took their toll.
Follow Us
Rafael Nadal (Image via ATP/X)
Rafael Nadal opened up about his life post-retirement after he was honored as the best athlete from Spain by Mundo Deportivo, a media outlet in the country. The Spaniard is convinced that at present, he is doing fine as fitness problems in the last few years helped him move on and start the next chapter of his life easily.
Nadal became the second member of the Big 3 to bid farewell to tennis following Roger Federer‘s retirement at the 2022 Laver Cup. The 38-year-old retired at last year’s Davis Cup Finals after Spain’s defeat in the Netherlands.
It was injuries that forced him to call time on his career, as he never fully recovered following the hip injury he suffered at the 2023 Australian Open. Post-retirement, the Spaniard participated in the FGB Hexagonal Golf Circuit and was recently spotted in Miami as he spent some time at the JW Marriot Marquis Hotel.
Nadal also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Salamanca. And after being named the best sportsman in Spain for his incredible career that spanned for over two decades, Nadal confessed that he doesn’t miss tennis much.
On a personal level, I am happy and on the other hand, I am trying to adapt to what is a new facet of my life that, for the moment, I am managing very well. At the moment I do not miss the daily grind, I am fine as I am. In the end, the last few years have been difficult, which also helps me not to regret it too much.
Rafael Nadal said at the press conference
BRUTAL ovación a un gigante @RafaelNadal #GalaMD pic.twitter.com/VWo0v98ITs
— Fabio Marchi (@FabioMarchiMD) February 3, 2025
Tim Henman admits he didn’t believe Rafael Nadal would be successful when he met him for the first time
Rafael Nadal retired after bagging 22 Grand Slam titles, the second most in men’s tennis. But when former World No.4 Tim Henman practiced with him for the first time in Miami, he had some doubts about the Mallorca-born’s abilities.
I didn’t really, honestly believe that you could play like that because you would make mistakes and, you know, he didn’t hit the ball as hard in matches as he did in practice.
Tim Henman said (H/T: Daily Express)
Henman, however, realized then only that he was wrong after Nadal beat him 6-1. The Brit, who had reached multiple Grand Slam semifinals, also never predicted that the Big 3 would win 66 Majors between them.
Only Novak Djokovic is the last remaining member of the Big 3 but age too is catching up with him as injuries have started to hamper his performance. The Serb’s recent hamstring injury forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open semifinals.
Stay Updated!
Gouri Das
(4811 Articles Published)