Imago
Mandatory Credits: @rafanadal9_seven/Instagram
Imago
Mandatory Credits: @rafanadal9_seven/Instagram
Just days ago, Rafael Nadal was spotted at his Mallorca academy, passing on his iconic buggy whip forehand to Iga Swiatek, a moment that instantly went viral. The clip sparked reactions everywhere, even drawing a tense response from Swiatek’s compatriots as the tennis world watched closely. Yet in a sharp twist, those once-lethal forehands that powered Nadal to 22 Grand Slam titles now face scrutiny, with Andy North urging him to rethink his swing.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
In an interview with ESPN in Georgia at golf’s The Masters at Augusta National, two-time US Open champion Andy North offered a detailed breakdown of Rafael Nadal’s golf swing during a segment. “Rafa, I admired you for years. I’m really excited about looking at your Golf swing. Please don’t take this personally, okay?” the 76-year-old added. His tone balanced respect with honest critique.
North then described what he observed in Nadal’s motion. He focused on the mechanics and how they translate from tennis to golf. “A little bit tight. It looks like a little bit of a two-handed forehand, but it really looks good on your left side.” His comparison highlighted how Nadal’s tennis instincts still influence his golf technique.
Top Stories
He didn’t stop there and pointed out areas for improvement. His suggestions were practical and rooted in fundamentals.
Rafael Nadal joined Welcome to the Masters to talk about this year’s tournament and more⛳ pic.twitter.com/yshxus1fLM
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 10, 2026
“I know you really love this game, and you’ve been working hard at getting better all the time, but maybe just relaxing your arms a little bit, you’ve got a good shoulder turn. There’s a lot to work with there.” The assessment showed there is room for growth despite Nadal’s natural ability.
However, Nadal responded with striking honesty about his own game. He made it clear that his approach to golf has been largely self-taught.
“I never took a lesson on my golf swing. I think I play like a backhand of tennis,” Nadal said. His admission reflected both humility and self-awareness.
The former tennis star also shared his enjoyment of golf while acknowledging physical limitations. “I have a lot of issues that I cannot bring my shoulder higher, I need to open my stance because of my foot, so I have a lot of body issues that don’t allow me to do things a little bit better. But even like this, I accept the challenge to do it a little bit better just for fun. And of course, I am a guy who wants to improve in anything that I do, always.”
Over the years, the Manacor legend has battled numerous injuries that have shaped his career and continue to affect him even after retirement. These physical setbacks have been a constant challenge behind his success.
For instance, in recent years, he dealt with an abdominal tear at the 2022 Wimbledon and 2022 US Open, a stress tear of the left third costal arch in 2019, an abdominal injury in 2018, disinsertion of the posterior ulnar sheath of the right wrist in 2014, and in 2012 he suffered a partial tear of the patellar tendon of the left knee, which took him seven months to recover, and this remains only a small part of a much longer injury list.
And despite these concerns, he pushed through them across his long career and now competes in golf events, driven by his enduring love for the game.
Rafael Nadal shares his thrill at attending The Masters event
Rafael Nadal’s relationship with golf runs deep and has been an important part of his life for years. It has never been just a hobby but something much more personal. Even during his tennis career, golf served as an escape from the constant pressure of competition. It gave him space to reset while still feeding his competitive instincts.
Since his retirement, that connection has only grown stronger. He now spends more time around the sport and continues to build that bond. Recently, Nadal had a fitting at the RFEG headquarters. This step further shows his growing involvement and seriousness toward golf.
He also has his own tour, Spin&Swing, organized by the Rafa Nadal Foundation. The initiative was recently launched and carries a charitable focus.
Nadal has admitted on more than one occasion that he looks up to Tiger Woods. At the same time, several golfers have also named Nadal as a source of inspiration when asked about their influences.
After arriving at The Masters, Nadal shared his thoughts on the experience. “The atmosphere is huge. It’s difficult to compare to something else, I think,” he said.
He also highlighted one unique aspect of the event that stood out to him. “The fact that nobody can have a cell phone, it’s a brilliant idea, brilliant rule, from my point of view, because everybody’s just focused on what the eyes can see. This place is magical.”
Many tennis players often speak about how good Nadal is at golf. Still, the Spaniard himself remains modest when discussing his own game.
“I’ll tell you, even with that swing, the ball more or less goes straight. But I am competitive. I love the game. I played a lot of golf when I was playing tennis. It was a way to be a little bit away [from] everything and at the same time compete. I have been a big golf fan since I was a kid.”
And now, as he spends time at The Masters, the focus shifts toward his golf swing. Fans are eager to see how his famous instincts translate onto the course.
