"Almost never": Rafael Nadal doesn't play tennis or think about Serena Williams type return after retirement
ATPSaturday, 06 June 2026 at 11:10
Rafael Nadal will not be making a grand return to the sport as the Spaniard admits that he 'almost never' plays tennis anymore as his new Netflix series is about to be unveiled.
It charts the end of Nadal's career and he said that while he thinks he'd probably be playing still Djokovic style if he was injury free, he said that he doesn't play or think about doing so anymore unlike Serena Williams.
Like Roger Federer as opposed to others like Juan Martin del Potro, he has put a barrier between himself and the sport and is enjoying life away from it with his wife and kids and although he has fluttered with being still involved through the likes of this documentary, he admitted that it is not on his mind that much anymore.
"Almost never," Nadal told Reuters during a recent interview. "I was not tired about tennis in general; I was just tired about my body," he continued. "I really loved what I was doing."
But while that is the case, Nadal admitted that he won't be following a similar route to Serena Williams in deciding to seemingly walk away from the sport to then defer the decision and come back to then play doubles.
Nadal said that he finds it great though that she has decided to return but that he won't be following suit in doing so. "I don't think so, but it's great that she's coming back."
Didn't want a documentary
Albeit another part of his career that he didn't actually want either was in fact a documentary, Nadal said that he had to be massively persuaded by Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison before it was made and said that he had previously said no many times.
"I had rejected the opportunity to do a docuseries many times in the past," Nadal said. "But I had a conversation with David Ellison, who I respect a lot and who I believe in."
Nadal in his farewell.
But now he went from thinking that he would never do anything like this to him being in a four-part docu-series on Netflix. The documentary itself revisits the injuries that shaped Nadal's career and ultimately brought it to an untimely end as he tried to prolong it for as long as possible before he ultimately gave up the ghost and decided to call it a day.
The series features family footage as well as behind-the-scenes moments many of watch have never seen the light of day previously as well as interviews with rivals and friends including 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and former World No.1 Andy Roddick. But watching those moments like alluded to have not stirred any inner desire to come back at all for the legendary Spaniard as he puts a big red mark in the box named career and it is all said and done now.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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