Exactly a year ago, in front of an emotional home crowd in Málaga, Rafael Nadal couldn’t get past Botic van de Zandschulp, falling to the Dutchman 6-4, 6-4. His appearance at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals ultimately marked the end of his legendary career. Since stepping away from the tour, the face of the Rafa Nadal Academy has understandably kept busy. And now, Rafael Nadal finally reveals his true feelings after taking the court again.

Yesterday, Nadal sat down with Jorge Valdano on Movistar+’s Universo Valdano to reflect on everything he lived through on the court from a new perspective. Speaking with striking honesty, the former Spanish star admitted he reached the finish line completely spent, with nothing left in the tank.

“I played 45 minutes with Eala, they asked me to play and I was delighted. If I don’t have to run, fine.” Rafael Nadal further explained that he stays connected through his academy but no longer follows tennis every day, choosing instead to watch only the matches or moments that interest him. “Through the academy I’m still involved and I see what I want to see. I don’t follow the day to day as before. Now I watch the games or moments I want to see.”

He also acknowledged that the adrenaline of tennis is “irreplaceable,” even though life offers other fulfilling experiences. Nadal noted that nothing quite matches what athletes feel in competition, saying, “What is found in sport is difficult to find elsewhere.”

And honestly, his career numbers show just how much he gave to the sport: 1,308 matches, 1,080 wins, and 16 majors missed because of injuries. Nadal played his last match at the Davis Cup in Málaga, closing a career that began back in 2001 when he was only 15. By then, Federer had already launched his own rise, marking the start of a rivalry that defined an entire era.

In the end, Rafael Nadal emphasized that he never lacked motivation, saying, “I don’t have any bad memories of that period.”

While Nadal looks back with gratitude, he also understands the pressure today’s players feel. The current tennis calendar (especially heading into 2025) has become more demanding than ever. And after years of pushing himself without skipping events, Nadal now recognizes why he struggled to step away during his career, even when the pace was exhausting.

Rafael Nadal reveals why rest was never an option at his peak

Rafael Nadal reflected on how the Big 3 reshaped tennis and why he almost never skipped tournaments during his prime. He pointed out that his generation entered the sport with Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slams as the benchmark. As he put it, “It’s human that some of our generation, when they reached 14, might have thought it was the maximum.”

Nadal explained that what truly drove the Big 3 was the constant pressure they put on one another. Competing alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic meant there was no room to slow down or take breaks. “Being three of us, not two, never left room for relaxation,” Nadal said. Which means that the competition forced all three to stay at the highest level.

He emphasized that their era was defined by relentless ambition, which is why he rarely skipped tournaments. Nadal said, “You had no margin for throwing tournaments… We were always in the final rounds competing for the most important tournaments.” He believes none of them would have achieved what they did without pushing each other.

Finally, the winner of the 22 Grand Slam shared his belief in playing by feel rather than relying too heavily on data. He said he prefers intuition over statistics, adding, “I still believe in intuition, not playing like a robot.” He even mentioned discussing this with Federer, who also didn’t like having too much information before matches.

That said, do you think the pressure from Federer and Djokovic helped extend Rafael Nadal’s greatness?