Spanish star Rafael Nadal makes a foray into the hospitality business, announces partnership with Melia group
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Rafael Nadal
Spanish tennis legend and the ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal has made a foray into the hospitality business as on Thursday he announced the launch of a new hotel brand ‘Zel’ in partnership with Spain’s Melia group. The new hospitality chain announced that it will open its first hotel in 2023 in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands which is also the hometown of 36-year-old Nadal.
Though this business foray may come with additional responsibilities for Nadal, he has made it clear that it did not mean he was ending his sporting career. The 14th-time French Open champion who has had a great 2022 season with 2 Grand Slam wins, said that he will do anything to prolong his career.
The new chain of hotels will be inspired by the “Mediterranean lifestyle”, and the aim is that “over the next five years”, the chain will open “more than 20 hotels across the world”, Nadal told reporters in Madrid while launching the ‘Zel’. As far as the financing of the joint entity is concerned, Rafa or Melia did not divulge the details related to the percentage of the shares.
Nadal also took to Instagram to share the news with excitement. “I am especially excited to introduce you to a new project that we have been working on this past year with my friends from Meliá. We present to you ZEL, a new brand of lifestyle hotels inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle. I’ll tell you more things”, he wrote on his Instagram.
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Rafael Nadal rules out retirement as he prepares for the next season
22 times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal said that he has no plan to retire as he looks to the upcoming season in 2023. The 36-year-old Spaniard said that he hasn’t reached “that point” yet and will do everything to prolong his tennis career.
“I’m still a pro athlete and I wish it lasts. I put effort so that it lasts as much as possible. Retirement starts the day you start as there’s one day less to reach it. But I’m not at that point, I work every day with the right energy to not be at that point yet. It will come through,” the Spanish star said while speaking at the launch of his new chain of hotels.
The King of Clay, 14th times French Open champion has had a great season this year. Leaving behind the fitness issues, Nadal won four titles, including the Australian and French Opens moving ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the singles major tally. Recently, Nadal was named the men’s ITF World Champion for 2022 for the fifth time in his career.
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