Rafa Nadal reaches for his son Rafael Junior during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Rafa Nadal, left, hugs Roger Federer, during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
A sign for Rafa Nadal is placed during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Rafa Nadal gets emotional during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Rafa Nadal waves to the crowd during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025 (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Rafael Nadal says he is content in retirement and hasn’t picked up a racket in 6 months
PARIS (AP) 鈥 Rafael Nadal hasn’t swung a tennis racket in the six months since the final match of his remarkable career. Eventually, he figures, he will do so again, if for no other reason than to prepare for exhibition matches. But for now, he is fine taking time away from the court in retirement.
Rafa Nadal reaches for his son Rafael Junior during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
PARIS (AP) 鈥 Rafael Nadal hasn’t swung a tennis racket in the six months since the final match of his remarkable career. Eventually, he figures, he will do so again, if for no other reason than to prepare for exhibition matches. But for now, he is fine taking time away from the court in retirement.
He also was OK with realizing soon after walking away that he no longer felt the competitive streak that helped carry him to . That total includes a remarkable , more championships than any other person won at one of his sport’s major tournaments 鈥 and the site of a on Sunday in its main stadium.
When he would play golf, for example, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 care if I lose, if I win, if I play well, if I play bad. Was a strange feeling for me, and not funny. I didn鈥檛 like to experience that, being honest, because I understand (sports differently).鈥
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Not surprisingly, though, that period passed. It makes sense that the drive that pushed him for two decades to succeed, to strive to get better, to keep accumulating accolades would not quite disappear forever.
鈥淚 am competitive again,鈥 he pronounced with a smile. 鈥淛ust to let you know, I am enjoying my daily competitions when I play golf and when I do things, but I think in a much nicer way.鈥
Now he invests time in his family 鈥 his wife and 2-year-old son were at Court Philippe-Chatrier for Sunday’s moving tribute 鈥 and business interests, including his tennis academy, a hotel company and a nutritional supplements company, plus his charitable foundation.
鈥淚 am discovering,鈥 said Nadal, who turns 39 on June 3, 鈥渨hat really motivates me for this new life.鈥
And as for tennis?
鈥淚 am having fun. I don鈥檛 miss much tennis, because I feel that I (gave) all what I had. I arrive at the day of today with the peace that I can鈥檛 be on court. My body doesn’t allow me to be on court. So that鈥檚 all. I am (at) peace,鈥 he continued. 鈥淚 did all (that) I could to have the best career possible, and now I am enjoying this new phase of my life, that I am sure going to be less exciting than the tennis career.鈥
He went on to explain that the adrenaline sports produces is 鈥渋mpossible to find in other things in life,鈥 but that doesn’t mean he will be any less happy.
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As singular as his achievements in Paris were 鈥 not just the 14 trophies, first at age 18 in 2005 and in 2022, but 鈥 Nadal does not find it inconceivable that someone else could come along and produce similar success.
He might be the only one who thinks that way. After all, no man in the professional era, which began in 1968, even won half as many championships at Roland-Garros; Bjorn Borg is next on the list with six.
鈥淚 really feel that if I did it 鈥 I don鈥檛 consider myself somebody very, very special 鈥 another one is going to come and going to achieve that, too,鈥 he said. 鈥淎 lot of things need to happen in your favor to make that happen, because you need a long career, because you can鈥檛 have a lot of injuries, even if I had (my share). ... You can have injuries, you can have very, very bad days. So you need some luck, too.鈥
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP鈥檚 tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: . More AP tennis:
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