Rafael Nadal couldn’t hold back the emotion as he bade farewell to tennis 12 months ago at the 2024 Davis Cup. The Spaniard retired from the sport after 24 years ruling the roost alongside Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, winning 22 Grand Slams.
The 39-year-old couldn’t hide his tears as he watched a tribute to his legacy from various rivals and friends in tennis. Djokovic and Federer were joined via video by other tennis stars to share their love for Nadal, including ex-rival Andy Murray and Serena Williams. Following this touching moment, the Spaniard addressed the crowd as he said: “I would like to be remembered more as a good person from a small village in Mallorca.”
Over a career spanning two decades, Nadal won a record 14 French Open titles, two Australian Opens, two Wimbledon crowns and four US Open trophies. Speaking to the crowd at the Davis Cup, the tearful star said: “The titles, the numbers are there. So people probably know that.
“But the way I would like to be remembered more is a good person from a small village in Mallorca. I had the luck that I had my uncle as a coach in the village when I was a kid.
“I am a kid who followed their dreams and worked as hard as they could to be where I am today. A lot of people do this and I have been very lucky to live the life I have because of tennis. I want to be remembered as a good person and a kid who followed their dreams and achieved more than they thought they could.”
Now a year on from his emotional farewell to the sport, Nadal is still involved in tennis but in a more mentorship capacity. In October this year, the 39-year-old made his first visit to the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre in Hong Kong, Japan, which he founded in 2022.
The centre, which was founded to boost the offering of world-class training to young prodigies, is one of many that the Spaniard has founded across the globe. Nadal has facilities in Japan as well as Greece, Mexico, Kuwait and his home country of Spain and has previously discussed his desire to continue pushing the next generation of tennis stars to the next level.
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Speaking to the South China Morning Post last month, Nadal said: “I achieved my dream because I had the opportunity to achieve my dream. Because I was born in a good family and they were able to give me the right education, the right bases and platform to develop myself.
“Depending on where you’re born, you don’t have those opportunities. So through my foundation, I think we have the goal to try to create as many opportunities as possible for the kids who really don’t have that opportunity.
“So we create a place, create places where the kids can see a different world. Probably they have their destiny to be in a very rough future. So we try to take them out from the street, from this negative atmosphere.
“Bring them to a positive atmosphere with a healthy community with teachers, other kids and through sport and education, we believe that we can create, we can change futures.”
The tennis great has also been spotted taking in other sports and is often seen supporting LaLiga side Real Madrid from the stands.