Tim Henman reveals Rafael Nadal retired at the right time after playing his final career match at the Davis Cup Finals.
Tim Henman, Rafael Nadal (Images via Mirror, X)
Rafael Nadal bid tennis farewell last month at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard established himself as one of the greatest players on the court after an incredible career spanning over two decades. Tennis legend, Tim Henman has shared his thoughts on why the timing of Nadal’s retirement was perfect.
The former World No.1 suffered a defeat in his final match after losing to the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. Carlos Alcaraz stepped up to level the tie 1-1 before Spain’s decisive doubles match loss saw the Dutch team win 2-1. Nadal then gave an emotional final speech on the court.
After that, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray teamed up to pay tribute to Nadal in a video played at the on-court ceremony. Following an emotional ceremony, Nadal left the court. What led to Nadal’s retirement was because of his recent struggles with injuries. The 38-year-old had barely played for the past season and was not consistent on the court this year.
Tim Henman, who has been a big admirer of Nadal, revealed in an exclusive interview that the Spaniard could not bear the physical and mental toll of the sport again. He then stressed that it was the right time for him to retire.
Nonetheless, several major figures close to Nadal criticized the farewell ceremony. Nadal’s uncle, Toni Nadal, disapproved of the organization of the farewell, claiming that it didn’t meet his expectations. Also, Carlos Moya, Nadal’s coach labeled the occasion scruffy and shabby.
Rafael Nadal is set to make his first appearance in a tennis tournament after retiring from the sport. The Spaniard will be in attendance at the Next Gen ATP Finals which starts on December 18 in Saudi Arabia. Nadal is an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation and will attend the event on behalf of the Federation and in support of young tennis players.
He recently revealed this to the media, expressing his excitement to be a part of the great event. He pointed out that despite retiring from the sport he will continue to help make sure that the sport grows all over the world.
Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I’m excited to be part of that. I continue to play tennis as I love the game. But beyond playing, I want to help the sport grow far and wide across the world, and in Saudi, there is real potential.
Rafael Nadal said in a Forbes report
The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is the seventh edition of the tournament. Last year, Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia claimed the title after beating Arthur Fils in a five-set thriller.
