Rafael Nadal admitted he was “100% ready” to retire from tennis, explaining that the hip surgery he had in 2023 “simply didn’t work” and that he needed to continue playing.
The Spanish icon ended his remarkable career by losing to Botic van de Zandschulp in his final match at last month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. Spain withdrew the championship in the quarter-finals after losing 2-1 to the Netherlands.
Nadal played eight events in 2024 and only four matches in 2023, having been hampered by different physical ailments since winning his 92nd and final career title at the 2022 French Open.
The 38-year-old Spaniard did not entirely heal from a hip injury suffered at the 2023 Australian Open.
In an interview with The National, Nadal stated that he was content with his retirement because he had given everything he had left to keep playing.
“I was ready for it,” claimed the former world champion. “It is critical that I was fully prepared. The last year and a half has been really difficult since I have not been able to practice and compete on a regular basis or at the standard that I am used to.
“So I did my best until the last day. I just had hip surgery to attempt to stay going, but it didn’t work as well as it should have.
“But I’m 100% at peace with myself that I tried my best until the last day, to have success, and to stay with calm with myself that I did all I could do to be very well satisfied with myself.”
The Mallorcan remembered a chat he had with his father Sebastian about what he planned to do after retiring: “He asked me what I wanted to do after tennis, if I wanted to relax and enjoy life or keep working and doing things?”
“My response was no; I don’t understand my life without goals. Of course, I want to enjoy my family and friends, and it’s true that I’ve worked a lot since I was a very small child, so I want to spend my time enjoying life.
“But I understand how vital it is in life to have motivation and objectives, which is why I have already planned for my future.
“And I’m quite thrilled about this next phase in my life. It’s just too early to talk about it because I only stopped playing tennis a month ago, but I’m very excited and am just starting to plan my future.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also stated that the ATP Finals was the one competition he regretted not winning.
“Of course, I would have liked to have won the ATP Finals once; it’s probably the one major event I’ve never won. But that’s it,” Nadal said.
“I was a little unlucky that by the end of the season, I was not in the finest of physical shape, having had numerous ailments.
“Then I faced very difficult opponents, and I played all of my career ATP Finals on indoor fast courts, indoor hard courts, and, at first, indoor carpet.”
“But there’s nothing to complain about.” If you ask me what I’d like to win, I’d say one of them. I had my chances, but I was unable to convert them. That is OK.
Nadal won all four Grand Slam events several times, captured Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles, and won 36 Masters 1000 titles.
The Mallorcan’s best ATP Finals performance is reaching the final, which he accomplished in 2010 and 2013.
