Toni Nadal shares one ‘mistake’ Rafael Nadal was keen to avoid before retiring

Toni Nadal revealed that he once told Rafael Nadal about a former tennis star who retired with regrets because he felt he wasn’t persevering enough and that was when his nephew promised him he definitely would not make that mistake.

Throughout pretty much his entire career, the Spanish tennis icon battled injuries, which even during his prime years forced him to take extended breaks from the game. After a lingering foot issue forced the former world No. 1 to end his 2021 season prematurely, he entered 2022 with some major doubts but still managed to win the Australian Open and the French Open that year.

Just as Nadal found a new successful therapy for his Mueller-Weiss syndrome after the 2022 French Open and managed to reach the Wimbledon semifinal, he was struck with an abdominal injury that didn’t allow him to play his semifinal match at The Championships.

Since then, the 38-year-old hasn’t been the same, battling abdominal, hip and foot issues. While he did everything he could to make a comeback and return successfully after the hip surgery in 2023, it didn’t happen to Nadal this year as the constant injuries continued this year.

And all of that led to the 22-time Grand Slam champion announcing last week that he would retire from pro tennis after next month’s Davis Cup Finals.

“Rafael learned to live with pain for many years, mastering it on numerous occasions and, saw how despite his doubts and uncertainties, he often emerged not only victorious but stronger. This was one of the reasons he repeatedly postponed his carefully considered decision. In the last two years, he has simply continued his usual pattern of giving himself every possible chance — driven more by faith than logic. Ultimately, he has only agreed to accept the undeniable reality when it became clear that his body could no longer give any more,” Toni Nadal wrote for El Pais.

Uncle Toni: Nadal didn’t make that mistake
When the 38-year-old retires next month, he will go down as one of the biggest competitors – if not the biggest – in tennis history. While Nadal didn’t manage to probably get the farewell and finish he wanted, no one will ever be able to say that the Spanish tennis icon didn’t try his best to prolong his career and stay as long as he could in pro tennis.

“Today, I can say with certainty that Rafael has fulfilled the promise he made to me a few years ago during a conversation at a club. I told him that a well-known former tennis player had once confided in me his dissatisfaction with his career — not because he hadn’t won more titles, but because of his lack of perseverance. Concerned, I urged my nephew not to make the same mistake. With more determination than I expected, Rafael responded, ‘Relax, Toni. When I go, it will be with the peace of mind that I gave it everything,'” Uncle Toni added.

What Nadal said about about his retirement decision?
When the record 14-time French Open champion held that special press conference in 2023 May to announce his plans to retire from pro tennis in 2024, fans were hoping it was just a phase and that he would continue playing beyond this season. That led to the 38-year-old being constantly asked about the prospect of playing again in 2025.

During that entire time, the former world No. 1 was confirming that he was pretty sure this would be his last season. In the end, that turned out to be true.

However, Nadal insisted that he was “at peace” with his decision.

“In this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined. I feel super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry, all the people involved in this sport, my longtime colleagues, especially my great rivals,” the 22-time Major winner said in his retirement announcement video.

“I’ve spent many, many hours with them, and I’ve lived many moments that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Everything I have experienced has been a dream come true. I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way I can only end by saying, 1000. Thanks to all and see you soon.”

This week, Nadal is playing at the 6 Kings Slam in Riyadh, where he is joined by Novak Djokovic at a star-studded exhibition that will start on Wednesday and conclude on Saturday.