Rafael Nadal’s sister Maribel looked back at the Spaniard’s special Christmas speech at the RNA Awards in Mallorca. The 38-year-old was honored with a special ’92’ trophy, which signifies the number of trophies the legend won during his illustrious career.
Nadal’s sister Maribel has been a huge pillar of support. She was often seen traveling with the Spaniard and cheering him on from the stands. She is also the Deputy General Manager of her brother’s eponymous tennis academy, which strives to give rise to future tennis stars.
The Rafa Nadal academy recently held a Christmas celebration where the 22-time Grand Slam champion, who recently hung up his racket, was celebrated. He received a special award from his sister, who also adorably kissed him on the cheek.
During his speech, the Spaniard thanked everyone who worked hard when disaster struck their academy.
“Well, good evening, everyone. I want to start by thanking you all. This year, we experienced two major floods, and I’m aware of the tremendous effort each of you made to restore everything to normal as quickly as possible. So, really, a thousand thanks to all of you who made it possible to resolve this in the best way.”
He also expressed his gratitude to everyone who worked hard to make the academy a massive success. One of the biggest success stories of the academy is the three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud.
“In the end, I believe we are all one big family here, striving for daily excellence. I thank you and send you energy and courage to continue making this place unique, special, and, above all, to these boys and girls who come to us at a young age and to the parents who entrust us with their most precious beings. We must respond by treating them as if they were our own and helping them grow, not only as tennis players but also as individuals.”
Maribel reposted the video on her Instagram story with a Christmas tree and a heart emoji:
“This is a lifelong project for me” – Rafael Nadal expresses his ‘enthusiasm’ and ‘willingness’ for future of his tennis academy
Continuing his thoughts, Rafael Nadal expressed his “willingness” and “enthusiasm” for his academy’s future and assured everyone that he was not going to stop working on it. The academy was founded on October 19, 2016.
“What’s certain is that this is a lifelong project for me, and it brings me great joy. You will see me around – not more often, because I was already here every day, but now in a different role. I say this with the utmost willingness and enthusiasm: I’m here to help in every way needed.”
Nadal bid his marvelous career adieu at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals after Team Spain fell to Team Netherlands in the quarterfinals. What ensued was a bunch of teary-eyed tennis fans all over the world listening to the Spaniard’s emotional farewell speech where he expressed gratitude to everyone, including his sister Maribel, who helped him achieve the career he enjoyed.
