Rafa Nadal talks about his life beyond tennis
Rafa Nadal’s life has completely changed since announcing his retirement from the tennis world. His time as a professional tennis player ended in 2024, when the Spaniard was forced to say goodbye due to his endless battle with injuries. It is common for athletes to struggle with life after retirement due to the lack of competition, something Nadal discussed on the podcast NDL Pro-Health.
Among other topics, the Mallorcan spoke about life “beyond tennis,” something that has long concerned Rafa. Fatherhood, his new entrepreneurial projects, his health routine, and how he faces this stage away from competition are some of the topics he opened up about. “Waking up without having something to do doesn’t work for me. I need goals. Making an effort is what gives me happiness,” he explains.
“And then? Some meetings. Maybe an event. Maybe nothing. And that ‘maybe’ is precisely the hardest thing to manage for those who have lived in an ecosystem where everything was scheduled, from hydration to the number of hours of sleep,” Nadal said during the podcast. In this new life after retirement, Rafa tries to find new challenges that motivate him to put the same passion he once dedicated to tennis into new goals. “I think it’s a period of doing many things and understanding what I like more or less.”
Now, with time to rediscover himself, Rafa has time for other hobbies: “I like exploring things that motivate me. This moment is also about learning things I don’t know,” he admitted. Despite having time for other things in his life, Nadal admits difficulties in figuring out what to do on a daily basis: “It’s a bit hard to decide what the day-to-day is like because there isn’t a routine like before. Before, I woke up with an alarm clock. Now, I have a kid who wakes me up around seven,” Rafa said with a laugh.
Although he no longer plays with the goal of competing, the winner of 22 Grand Slams continues training to maintain his health. “I go to the gym three times a week. Cardio, strength, and basic routines from when I played to protect my knees and shoulders. If I leave it for the last minute, there’s always an excuse. I prefer to start the day knowing I’ve already done it,” added Rafa. This is logical, as he has spent his whole life pushing his body to the maximum and now must preserve his health after so many years.
