Rafael Nadal Gets Real About Potential Exhibition Tour With Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have ended their respective professional tennis careers.

Rafael Nadal Gets Real About Potential Exhibition Tour With Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer (Image via X/TNT Sports)

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For tennis fans, the image of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer crying together at the Laver Cup is burned into our retinas. It was the end of an era, a moment so heavy with nostalgia it practically had its own gravitational pull. 

Since then, the fans have been nursing a massive “Fedal” hangover, desperately hoping for one last hit of dopamine. Well, the King of Clay has finally addressed the rumors, and while he hasn’t exactly signed a contract, he hasn’t bolted the door shut either. Nadal said in an extensive interview with AS:

I don’t think it will ever be the same again, nor do I intend to [play a tour]. But in the future, who knows? If we have fun, if we manage to do something that makes sense and we feel like it, why not? There is no closed door to picking up a racket again, but I would have to prepare myself thoroughly. When you go out to play, you want to be prepared, and right now I’m not. It would take a reasonable amount of time.

Nadal recently opened up about the possibility of reuniting with his Swiss rival for an exhibition tour, and his answer is the classic “good news, bad news” scenario. He thinks it would be “fun.” The bad news is that fans should not book their tickets just yet, because the Spaniard is nowhere near ready to step onto a court in front of a paying audience.

Rafael Nadal’s body has taken a serious hit over the years

Here’s the thing about Rafael Nadal: he doesn’t half-send anything. If he’s going to play, he wants to play well. In the recent chat with AS, Nadal admitted that hopping on a plane for a global exhibition tour isn’t something he can do tomorrow.

Rafael Nadal Washington Open 2021
Rafael Nadal (image via X/Australian Open)

After suffering a nasty psoas tear at the 2023 Australian Open and missing the French Open for the first time since 2004, Nadal is now more aware of his physical limitations than ever. He’s been pretty blunt about it, noting that “it would take a reasonable amount of time” to get into shape for a tour.

So, while Roger Federer has previously mentioned he’d love to play some exhibition matches if his knee stops acting up, both legends are currently battling the undefeated opponent: biology.

Captain Rafa? The “Maybe” Pile

If an exhibition tour is a “maybe,” what about coaching? The fans should not hold their breath for Rafael Nadal to be sitting in a player’s box anytime soon. The travel schedule of a pro coach is brutal, and Nadal, who now has small children, isn’t keen on living out of a suitcase again. He said:

What one feels today may not be the same as what one feels in the future. Being a coach would require me to travel full-time, and with my children, I don’t see that happening right now. Being Davis Cup captain? Why not? I could have fun…or not.

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal

However, there is a glimmer of hope for Spanish tennis fans. When asked about becoming the Davis Cup captain one day, Nadal gave a classic “Why not?” He holds a ridiculous 29-2 record at the event, so he’s certainly qualified.

But even then, he warns it’s “premature” to think about it. He’s focused on his academy, his university projects (UAX), and just figuring out what he wants to be when he “grows up.” For now, the fans have to be patient. He has shown his leadership credentials, particularly at the Laver Cup, where he has been seen showing passion towards his teammates. However, representing the country as a captain is a totally different ball game.

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