Rafael Nadal had the flexibility to stay aggressive on the highest stage for a very long time, regardless of having to play in the identical period as two different legends comparable to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Their rivalry has taken away necessary titles from every of them, however none of them would have had such a protracted profession if they’d not been pushed to enhance by the others.
The Large 3 motivated one another and continued to enhance their recreation even after successful every little thing. Males’s tennis has undergone a serious transformation over the previous couple of years, and new hierarchies have been created, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz taking management of the scenario.
Rafael Nadal© Tenis Espana/Instagram – Truthful Use
Federer retired in 2022 resulting from a critical knee harm, whereas Nadal mentioned goodbye to skilled tennis this 12 months on the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. In actuality, Rafa’s profession had begun its downward parabola for a few years because of the repeated accidents which have tormented his physique.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion tried in each method to postpone his destiny, however the outcomes obtained in 2024 satisfied him to finish his legendary profession. The previous world No. 1 mentioned goodbye to his followers in Malaga and thanked everybody who helped make his journey so particular.
After retiring, the previous Spanish champion hung out along with his household in Marbella and took slightly trip. Subsequently, the 14-time French Open champion was noticed collectively along with his sister at Anfield Street to look at the Champions League match between Liverpool and Actual Madrid. Everybody is aware of that Rafa is a big Actual Madrid fan, though his uncle Miguel Angel was a Barcelona defender for a very long time.
Guardiola pays tribute to Rafa
This week, the Spaniard additionally visited the Metropolis Soccer Academy in Manchester. The previous world No. 1 met Manchester Metropolis stars comparable to Haaland and Grealish, in addition to their supervisor Pep Guardiola. Manchester Metropolis goes by the worst second of Guardiola’s period and the disaster has been accentuated by the draw in opposition to Feyenoord within the Champions League. Guardiola’s crew can have a extremely necessary match in opposition to Liverpool tomorrow, which may already handle this version of the Premier League.
Rafael Nadal, Champions League 2024© Stream screenshot
In his press convention on Friday, Guardiola spoke about his dialog with Nadal: “Rafa is one of the most incredible athletes of our time. I know he is a Real Madrid fan and came here to go to Anfield to watch the Liverpool-Real Madrid Champions League match, but before that, as his uncle and I were teammates in Barcelona… It was a pleasure to see him. He is one of the most incredible athletes of this era.”
Pep 🤝 Nadal
Rafael Nadal visited Man Metropolis’s coaching floor earlier this week ✨#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/A6edXqYd47
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 29, 2024
Pep additionally added: “We talked about sports, about how difficult it is to maintain success for so many years, as Federer and Djokovic have done for many years. In the end, he had to retire due to injuries; otherwise, he would be here. He said an incredible phrase: ‘I love to play, I want to play tennis, but my body says that’s enough.’
In a career as a football player, tennis is a sport you desire, but your body says it’s enough. He wanted it desperately; he loves tennis and wants to play it. Sometimes, the human body has limits, and it’s a sport where he ended up exhausted after many games, and in football, the same happens.”
Nadal is a source of inspiration
The Spaniard is also a source of inspiration for athletes in other sports, having transcended tennis and having shown the whole world how to overcome their limits. No one thought Nadal’s career would be so long, especially considering that he has had many serious injuries during his journey in professional tennis.
The former world number 1 is the top player who has missed the most Grand Slam tournaments during his career, but he retired without regrets and with the awareness that he has always given his best on the court. The 14-time French Open champion had turned his habits upside down in the last one to try to become competitive again.
He had abandoned his routine of intensive training, he had dedicated himself to his passions, he had taken a break from tennis, but his body had nothing more to give to this sport. Rafa understood this the day before the match against Nole Djokovic at the Paris Olympics, when an injury prevented him from playing at his best on the iconic Philippe Chatrier.
The Spaniard reflected on his future in the following months by sifting through all the hypotheses, before announcing to the whole world that his career would end in the last official event of the season.
