Rafael Nadal gets emotional during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium. (AP Photo)
Rafael Nadal may have been among the top 10 highest ranked men’s tennis players in the world less than two years ago but the Spanish great has reiterated that he has very much adjusted to retired life, so much that a return to the sport as a player is not something that even crosses his mind. The 39-year-old ended his illustrious playing career on November 19, 2024 in the Davis Cup Finals.
“I don’t live thinking that I am or was a tennis player. That chapter is closed. Obviously, I am here because of that, not because I did something else. That’s clear, so it will always be there in the memory. But I don’t live my day-to-day life thinking about tennis, beyond specific moments when I feel like watching something or, of course, at the Academy, where I’m closer to it on a daily basis, but from a completely different perspective,” Nadal is quoted as saying by AS.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner was known for meticulously sticking to routine and his discipline throughout his career. He now says that he has lost that routine and once that happens, it is impossible to get back to it. Nadal further said that he had said the same to Marc Lopez, the former Spanish tennis player who teamed up with him in doubles a number of times and part of his last coaching team.
“My life is a bit more random than before. Before, my work was A, B, C: get up at a certain time, train, do physical work. Everything was practically the same every day. Now I work on my own things. I have meetings many mornings, work trips, and I usually try to keep afternoons freer to be with my family.
“I wasn’t healthy anymore. Thankfully, that chapter is completely closed, and well closed. I’ve never been one of those people who thinks “if only I could…”. I told Marc López that when he was retired and we trained, he thought that if he came back, maybe he could still do something. And I told him, “That chapter is closed, my friend.” Now the body gives what it gives, and I think the mind does too. There comes a moment, once you’ve stopped the routine, when you can’t latch back on,” said Nadal.