Rafael Nadal has revealed that he lived his entire tennis career in constant, daily pain, admitting that he now almost forgets he was ever a professional player. The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who retired at the Davis Cup Finals in November 2024, said: "Life keeps going."
In an interview with The Athletic, Nadal reflected on his retirement and the physical struggles that defined his career. "I retired only two years ago, but it's already like another life that I was playing tennis," he said. "I almost forget that I was a tennis player. Life keeps going."
A Career Marked by Injury
Nadal was diagnosed with Muller-Weiss syndrome early in his career, a degenerative bone disorder in his left foot that troubled him throughout his playing years. He also faced wrist, rib and hip injuries, among others, making him injury-prone compared to rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Since ending his career, Nadal has barely touched a racket. The former world No. 1 returned to the court at the recent Rafa Nadal Academy Slam, an exhibition event celebrating 10 years of his Mallorcan tennis centre.
The Final Years
Nadal started the 2022 season by winning his first 20 matches, lifting trophies at the Australian Open and French Open. But an abdominal muscle tear derailed his season, forcing him to pull out of Wimbledon in the semi-finals and limiting him to four tournaments for the rest of the year.
In early 2023, he sustained a hip injury at the Australian Open and did not play for a year. He injured his hip again at the 2024 Brisbane International and competed in seven more events before retiring.
Living with Pain
Reflecting on his setbacks, Nadal said: "For me every moment was … I always had not the fear but knew that it could be my last year on tour. The only positive thing I've taken from all the injuries was that I was able to enjoy more and put more value on the great moments. But I lived all my tennis career with pain — on a daily basis, I had too much pain."
Injuries are part of the reason Nadal no longer misses being on tour. "I loved playing tennis. But I'm not missing much because I decided to retire at completely the right moment. I had nothing else to give," the 2008 Olympic champion said. "My body was over, to be honest. I played with too many limitations, so that's it. That allowed me to finish in peace. There are plenty of things that are more important than tennis or sport. But the adrenaline and this special feeling that sport brings to you, it's something difficult to find outside."
Nadal's career has been documented in a new coffee table book from Assouline, featuring never-before-seen photos of his life on and off the court.
