Rafael Nadal has stated that it would be ‘fun’ to participate in an exhibition tour with Roger Federer, but admits that it is something that he would ‘need to prepare for’ before it were to occur.
The Spaniard hung up his racket at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals after failing to sufficiently recover his level from a left psoas tear.
That injury was sustained at the 2023 Australian Open and forced him to end the rest of his season – missing his beloved French Open for the first time since 2004.
Nadal would attempt a comeback the following year, reaching the last eight at the Madrid Masters and making the showpiece match at the ATP 250 event in Bastad, but it was clear that his body could not match his desire to continue.
“No, because it (his body) was no longer well,” the 22-time Grand Slam champion responded when asked by AS if he ever thinks about coming back.
“Luckily the stage is completely closed and well closed. I have never been one of those who believe ‘if I could…’.
“I told Marc López that when he was retired, and we were training, he thought that, if he came back, maybe he would do something and I told him: ‘The stage is closed, comrade.’ Now the physique gives what it gives, and I think the head too.
“There comes a time, when you have already stopped the routine, that you cannot get hooked again. It’s very complicated.
“I’ve trained a couple of times with girls from the Academy, with Alina (Korneeva) and with Alex (Eala), pure sparring, honestly.
“Without any encouragement beyond having a good time hitting the ball, supporting them and ensuring that they enjoyed themselves.
“That’s how it’s been and that’s how I take it: without interest or expectation of anything.”
As Nadal noted, tennis fans have been going wild over videos and images of the retired Spaniard with a racket in his hand at his Mallorca Academy – albeit as a sparring partner.
His long-time rival, Roger Federer, has previously stated that he would love to play exhibition matches around the world, if his knee were in good enough condition to produce an admirable showing.
Likewise, the Spaniard also seems keen, however – in typical fashion for Nadal – the Spaniard stresses that he would need to prepare thoroughly before any hypothetical ‘exhibition tour’.
“I don’t think it will ever be the same again, nor do I intend to [play a tour],” added the former world No 1.
“But in the future, who knows?
“If we have fun, if we manage to do something that makes sense and we feel like it, why not?
“There is no closed door to picking up a racket again, but I would have to prepare myself thoroughly. When you go out to play, you want to be prepared, and right now I’m not.
“It would take a reasonable amount of time.”
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With coaching rumours in the air after Juan Carlos Ferrero departed from the Carlos Alcaraz team, the 22-time Grand Slam champion all but closed the door on full-time coaching anytime soon.
However, the Spaniard did leave open the possibility of becoming the captain of Spain’s Davis Cup team one day.
Nadal holds an incredible 29-2 win-loss match record at the event, aiding his country to five titles.
“I have always had the utmost respect for what may happen in the future, because what one feels today is not what one will feel in a while.
“Life changes, and even more so when you have small children: you see life in a certain way, a few years go by and it changes.
“To travel continuously? I don’t see it. Being a coach would imply that, and right now it doesn’t fit with my life.
“To be Davis Cup captain one day? Why not? I could have fun… or not. I have just retired; it is very premature to think about it. I respect the vital and adaptation processes. Right now, it is not appropriate to think about that.”
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