Nadal, on Djokovic: "He will continue to contend for Grand Slams as long as he maintains his physical condition and motivation"

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Rafael Nadal enjoys a new life stage completely away from the demands of the professional circuit. The Spaniard, retired for months now, faces a much more peaceful life, convinced that he squeezed every last resource before ending an unrepeatable career and satisfied to have found a balance that was impossible to maintain for so many years.

In an extensive interview with CNBC Sport, Rafael Nadal discussed some of the major current topics in tennis and his own life. Nadal explained why he never considers returning to competition, talked about the rivalry he had with Roger Federer, analyzed the extraordinary longevity of Novak Djokovic, assessed the future ahead for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and revealed what he believes has been the key to keeping his feet on the ground throughout his career.

Rafael Nadal reflects on his retirement, Djokovic, Federer, and the future of tennis

Nadal explains why he will never return to professional tennis

After several high-profile retirements in sports, Nadal was asked about the possibility of returning to competition one day. His response was unequivocal. "For me, that chapter is completely closed. I do not miss competing. Obviously, I still miss some feelings because they are emotions that I will hardly experience again in another aspect of my life.

But I am at peace with the decision I made. I made it when I felt that I could no longer compete at the level I wanted. I tried absolutely everything before retiring, and when I realized that my body was not going to respond as needed, I accepted that the time had come to close that chapter.

I never came to hate tennis. I always enjoyed playing, even during the most challenging times with injuries or with all the challenges that a long career presents. I retired because my body no longer allowed me to compete at the level I wanted, not because I had lost the passion for this sport."

Roger Federer, the perfect rival to build an unrepeatable rivalry

Nadal considers that the huge contrast between his way of understanding tennis and that of Roger Federer was one of the factors that made their rivalry one of the greatest in the history of the sport.

"Roger has probably been the most elegant player there has ever been. I think what made our rivalry unique was that I was completely different. He gave the impression of having everything under control, while I fought for every ball, hit from very difficult positions, and often seemed to survive points. In my case, it did not seem like everything was under control.

That contrast between our playing styles and also between our personalities made us both better, learn from each other, and offer something very special to the public."

Nadal acknowledges Djokovic and explains the secret of his longevity

At 39 years old, Novak Djokovic continues to compete for the most important titles on the circuit. Nadal believes that his ability to stay at the top responds to a very specific reason.

"Novak is still here because he loves this sport and feels the passion to compete. While he maintains that motivation and his body allows it, he will continue to have chances to fight for the most important tournaments. What he has achieved is extraordinary. We have all taken our careers to the limit, and he continues to do so. When someone has won as much as we have, the only reason to continue is that they still enjoy the competition and feel they can remain competitive."

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have what it takes to make a mark for a generation

Nadal was also asked about the new great rivalry on the men's circuit and expressed confidence that both Alcaraz and Sinner have the qualities to dominate tennis for many years. "I think they have all the ingredients to build a very special rivalry. They are two extraordinary players with different styles and distinct personalities. That always helps people to identify with one or the other and makes the sport much more interesting.

Now it will depend on many things. It will depend on injuries respecting them, on maintaining the excitement and passion to keep improving each season. No one can know what will happen in ten years, but the potential they have is enormous, and if everything goes well, they can lead to a very beautiful era for our sport."

Rafa Nadal believes that success is not only measured by titles but by happiness

Beyond the trophies, Nadal explained that over the years, his way of understanding success has also changed, confessing that he now gives much more importance to personal life than to sports results.

"When you are an athlete, you often think that success consists solely of winning. Over time, you realize that there are many ways to be successful in life. For me, true success is waking up every morning happy with the life you have, enjoying your family, the people around you, and feeling that you have done things in the best possible way."

Mallorca and his family, the refuge that allowed Nadal to remain true to himself

Nadal also explained that one of the best decisions he made during his career was never to change his way of living, always staying close to his intimate circle.

"Off the court, I was always a very normal person. I lived with my parents until well into my thirties. I never felt the need to change my life because I was successful. Returning to Mallorca always helped me a lot. There, everyone treated me exactly as they did before winning tournaments. That allowed me to maintain a very healthy perspective on who I really was. Now that I am retired, the good news is that I have completely returned to that life."

Even though he is no longer part of the professional circuit, Rafael Nadal continues to observe the evolution of tennis with the same interest he showed throughout his career. The Spaniard is enjoying a new personal stage, admires Novak Djokovic's ability to continue defying time, and looks forward with excitement to the emergence of a rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner that, in his opinion, has all the ingredients to shape the future of this sport over the next decade.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nadal, sobre Djokovic: "Seguirá optando a ganar Grand Slams mientras mantenga el físico y la motivación"