WATCH: Rafael Nadal returns to tennis court in practice with rising star Alexandra Eala

Twelve months since his retirement from professional tennis, Rafael Nadal held a practice session with one of the WTA's most exciting talents.

Nadal ended his legendary career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. Unfortunately, he did not get a fitting ending as Team Spain slipped to a quarterfinal loss against the Netherlands, including Nadal being beaten by Botic van de Zandschulp.

Since that moment, Nadal has kept a mostly low profile. An exception was an emotional ceremony for him at Roland Garros to mark his 14 titles there. The 39-year-old's footprint was permanently left on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion also said a few months ago that he was no longer in pain since retiring. That contrasted with the toll he put himself through in an attempt to reach the top again before eventually finishing.

That means Nadal can now play for fun and enjoy it. He did that during a recent practice session with Alexandra Eala, who suddenly burst onto the scene by reaching the 2025 Miami Open semifinals, a run that included beating Iga Swiatek.

Nadal posted a video on his X page from the practice, which can be watched below. The former ATP world No. 1 tied his shoes before hitting with Eala, who must have been thrilled to train with one of the best players ever.

Eala's previous practice at the Nadal Academy has been reported. Continuing that provided an opportunity to hit with him, and whether he provided her with any advice afterward is uncertain.

It was impossible to determine how high Nadal's level was during the session, but he light-heartedly promised to play better next time, indicating it will not be the last time he trains with Eala.

Some of the best matches in tennis history were contested between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Many still believe that the 2008 Wimbledon final, which Nadal won 9-7 in the fifth set, is the greatest contest ever played.

Despite being at the top and occasional flare-ups like Federer complaining about how long Nadal took between points in their 2014 Australian Open semifinal, they shared a very good relationship throughout their careers.

That grew even more in their final years as professionals. Nadal played doubles with Federer in his last professional match at the 2022 Laver Cup, and Federer wrote a lengthy and emotional post about Nadal during his final appearance at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.

Earlier this year, Toni Nadal said that Federer and Nadal will play exhibitions soon. That has not materialized yet, but it would be surprising if the pair did not at some point, given their close relationship.

The tennis legends could sell out stadiums in many countries worldwide, making the location of a future exhibition interesting.