Despite hanging up his tennis racket a few months ago, Rafael Nadal could not escape the call of the tennis court as he found himself playing padel last weekend.
The legendary Spaniard announced his retirement at the start of the 2024 season, following a year-long battle with injuries. Nadal would play his last professional tournament at the 2024 Davis Cup in front of home fans, calling an end to one of the most decorated careers in tennis history.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has tried to stay out of the spotlight since his retirement, opting to spend time with his family. However, Nadal often visits his tennis academy in Manacor during his spare time.
It was during one of these visits that Nadal was spotted trying out a new sport, padel. The former World No.1 was seen playing the relatively new sport with the same intensity that he approaches tennis. Opposing Nadal and his teammate was his ex-coach, Carlos Moya alongside a fourth individual. After a few lengthy rallies, Nadal appeared to win the point as he put away a forehand volley. Below is the video.
Rafael Nadal holding a (Padel) racket 👀 pic.twitter.com/3hbR69OQ0I
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) March 4, 2025