Rafael Nadal has been a fighter all his life. He came through serious foot injuries, which would have ended most careers, returned from an abdominal tear that ended his 2022 Wimbledon campaign, and underwent hip surgery in 2023 to enable him to play properly again. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, he wishes he had not. 

At the unveiling of his Rafa Nadal Museum in Manacor, Spain, this week, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was honest about the procedure that marked the end of his career. “The last year and a half, knowing what happened afterwards… Well, I would not have done it,” he said. He was quick to explain the logic at the time, though. “They gave me the confidence that with an operation, there would be options to return, to compete properly in the right conditions, and I did it. I did what I had to do to give myself a chance to continue.”

The hip issue arose at the Australian Open in January 2023 when Nadal retired from the second round with a problem in his left hip flexor. In June of the same year, he had arthroscopic surgery on his left psoas muscle, which he hoped would get him a runway back to the tour. Rather, 2024 was a year of false starts and setbacks. He played just seven tournaments between January and July before announcing his retirement at the Davis Cup Finals in November 2024.

What makes the admission striking is not the regret itself but the clarity with which he views everything now. He does not appear to be a man consumed by what might have been. “Today, I can tell you that I don’t miss it, because I know that my place is no longer there on the court. Tennis is a closed page, a closed one. I think I reached the limit of my capabilities, not mentally, but physically,” he said.

He also offered a perspective that reframes the difficult final stretch. “I still loved what I did, and the fact that I explored that last opportunity gave me, in addition to other things that life gives you, the chance to travel with my son at a very early stage of his life. At least I was able to experience it, and I have beautiful memories of it. That gave me the conviction to close a chapter that had to be closed.”

Nadal has maintained a certain continuity in the sport since his retirement. He recently caught world No. 3 Iga Swiatek in training at his Mallorcan academy with his previous coach, Francisco Roig, who Swiatek signed before the 2026 clay swing. It’s the kind of involvement he doesn’t pull back from, which is where he wants to be, toward tennis.

Nadal rules out Real Madrid presidency, relaunches museum

This week, however, Nadal was the subject of a far more speculative discussion, off the court. When Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez called for new elections at the club, it did not take long for Nadal’s name to appear on the radar of Spanish media. The connection was not without basis. He is an honorary member of the club, a life-long supporter, and in a 2023 interview said he would like to eventually become president. It was enough to get the rumour mill going. 

Nadal moved quickly to shut it down. “I have read reports that link me as a possible candidate for the Real Madrid presidency. I would like to clarify that these reports are not true,” he wrote on social media. He went on to detail that his name had been attached to a possible candidacy including that of fellow member Enrique Riquelme, and that he did not want to see the speculations build momentum. “I didn’t want to fuel speculation about something I’m not involved in. Football is a world apart and I just wanted to make it clear that I’m not focused on that at the moment,” he said.

The museum relaunch he organized this week in Manacor gave a better idea of the direction his focus was going. Titled ‘Inside the Legend,’ the newly renovated space spans two floors across the Rafa Nadal Academy, inviting visitors to discover how a legend is built and who the person is beyond his sporting achievements. The tour begins with an immersive audiovisual tunnel introducing visitors to the young Rafa, before moving through zones dedicated to his 22 Grand Slam titles, his Olympic and Davis Cup triumphs, a Sporting Legends hall featuring original objects from Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, and Lionel Messi, and a Big Three area dedicated to the rivalry between Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic. Since its original inauguration in 2016, the museum has averaged over 100,000 visitors per year and has become one of the most visited attractions in the Balearic Islands. 

“Today is a very special day for me, my family and my team. I hope you all enjoy it,” Nadal said at the launch.

If fans are seeking more in-depth details of his career, the four-part Netflix documentary titled ‘RAFA’ will premiere on May 29, showcasing previously unseen footage and exclusive access to Nadal and his family and circle in the last year of his tour in 2024. The series features sit-down interviews with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and John McEnroe, and is directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Zach Heinzerling. It comes out on May 29, two weeks into the Roland Garros, where Nadal has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slams. The timing feels deliberate and entirely fitting.