Rafael Nadal Grateful To Be Able To Walk Stairs Normally After Retirement
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Rafael Nadal's retirement was one of the most emotional moments in tennis history. However, the Spaniard insists he does not miss playing and also gave a health update during a recent public appearance.
Nadal suffered repeated injuries during the last two years of his career. The Spaniard has made miraculous recoveries in the past, including at the 2022 Australian Open, one of the most memorable Grand Slam title runs in tennis history.
That meant the 38-year-old believed he could do it again, but a severe hip injury and problems in other areas made it impossible. Nadal made his final appearance at November's 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
Many were disappointed with the ending Nadal received. He lost his last singles match, Team Netherlands eliminated Team Spain in the quarterfinal, and many felt the retirement ceremony given to him was underwhelming.
While figures like his coach, Carlos Moya, called the ceremony shabby, Nadal did not publicly criticize it. Instead, he has focused on adjusting to retirement life and sounds content, going by his recent comments.
Speaking at Mundo Deportivo's Gran Gala, Nadal revealed that he is living without much pain and can now go up and down stairs normally, which was challenging during his injury issues.
"At the moment, I'm able to live with very little pain, and this is very important for me. Getting up and going down the stairs normally is a very important step in my life."
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also said that the difficulty of the last few years of his career meant he did not miss tennis much, although he accepted that it was too soon to be definitive about it because his retirement was so recent.
"I'm adapting to a new facet of my life. The last few years of my career were difficult and that helps me not miss it so much. I retired only three months ago, not a year ago, and I can't say it with total clarity, but at the moment, I'm fine."
Nadal is not the only high-profile injured player to say he does not miss tennis much. Andy Murray, who is unsure whether he will continue as Novak Djokovic's coach, said the same a few months after stepping away from the sport.
Murray and Nadal had many injury problems in the final years of their careers but kept playing for a long time anyway. That indicates how challenging it is for players to step away from the sport they love and dedicate their lives to.
In contrast to Nadal and Murray, Serena Williams, who retired after the 2022 US Open, admitted she misses tennis like crazy in a recent interview. The 23-time Grand Slam champion tries to set herself new goals to compensate for that loss.
Roger Federer's comments seem to fall somewhere between the two. The Swiss legend has not been as vocal as Williams about missing tennis but is yet to be as direct as Nadal and Murray about not missing being on the ATP Tour.
