{"id":25635,"date":"2025-02-13T03:36:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T03:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=25635"},"modified":"2025-02-13T03:36:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T03:36:09","slug":"retired-nadal-finds-joy-in-new-sport-as-he-refuses-to-pick-up-tennis-racket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=25635","title":{"rendered":"Retired Nadal finds joy in new sport as he refuses to pick up tennis racket"},"content":{"rendered":"<header>\n<nav>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<header class=\"clearfix\">\n<div class=\"panel new\">\n<div class=\"sharebar\"><a class=\"comment\" title=\"Comment section\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/sport\/tennis\/2013243\/Retired-Rafael-Nadal-new-sport-refuses-tennis-racket#comments-wrapper\"><span id=\"comments-count\" class=\"count-num spot-im-replies-count\">2<\/span><\/a><span class=\"bookmark share-item\" data-bookmark=\"0\" data-article-id=\"2013243\" data-article-headline=\"Retired Rafael Nadal finds joy in new sport as he refuses to pick up tennis racket\" data-article-url=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/sport\/tennis\/2013243\/Retired-Rafael-Nadal-new-sport-refuses-tennis-racket\" data-article-image=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/285x169\/2013243_1.jpg\" data-show=\"1\"><span data-bookmark-text=\"\">Bookmark<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"ctx_content p402_premium\" data-type=\"article-body\">\n<div class=\"clearfix hR new-style\">\n<div class=\"photo changeSpace\">\n<p class=\"withoutCaption\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/1200x712\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.avif?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"screen and (min-width:10000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/1200x712\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.webp?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/webp\" media=\"screen and (min-width:10000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/1200x712\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.jpg?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"screen and (min-width:10000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/674x400\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.avif?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"screen and (min-width:100000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/674x400\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.webp?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/webp\" media=\"screen and (min-width:100000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/674x400\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.jpg?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"screen and (min-width:100000px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/940x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.avif?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"screen and (min-width:1200px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/940x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.webp?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/webp\" media=\"screen and (min-width:1200px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/940x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.jpg?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"screen and (min-width:1200px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.avif?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"screen\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.webp?r=1739352765505\" type=\"image\/webp\" media=\"screen\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"zoomEnabled\" title=\"Tribute To Rafael Nadal In Madrid\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.jpg?r=1739352765505\" alt=\"Tribute To Rafael Nadal In Madrid\" width=\"590\" height=\"393\" data-img=\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/1200x712\/secondary\/Rafael-Nadal-5952119.jpg?r=1739352765505\" \/><\/picture><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"newsCaption\">Rafael Nadal admitted he hadn&#8217;t touched a tennis racket as he discussed retirement\u00a0<span class=\"caption\">(Image: Getty)<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-description\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Link Content Paragraph\">\n<p>Rafael Nadal\u00a0has opened up on life in retirement after ending his career in November.<\/p>\n<p>The 22-time Grand Slam champion hung his racket up at the Davis Cup Finals and hasn\u2019t picked it up since.<\/p>\n<p>But Nadal has been enjoying a new sport as he finds ways to avoid boredom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"box two-related-articles clear\">\n<header><\/header>\n<ul>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-description\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Link Content Paragraph\">\n<p>Nadal announced his retirement plans last October, and a few weeks later, he bid farewell to professional tennis when Spain lost their Davis Cup tie.<\/p>\n<p>The 38-year-old has made limited appearances since. He popped up at the Next Gen ATP Finals in December as part of his Saudi tennis ambassador commitments but has otherwise steered clear from the sport.<\/p>\n<p>There have been plenty of snaps of Nadal on the golf course and he\u2019s entered some amateur events. But the Spaniard has now shared his passion for another sport as he shed light on his post-tennis plans.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the moment I&#8217;m always doing things, which I think is how it should be,\u201d Nadal told Movistar after meeting with the Spanish Olympic Committee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"p402_hide htmlappend\" data-id=\"67108663\">\n<div class=\"text-description\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Link Content Paragraph\">\n<div class=\"instagram-iframe-wrapper entered\" data-lazy-function=\"instagram\" data-ll-status=\"entered\"><iframe id=\"instagram-embed-0\" class=\"instagram-media instagram-media-rendered\" src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DFxduzGoUOs\/embed\/captioned\/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.express.co.uk&amp;rp=%2Fsport%2Ftennis%2F2013243%2FRetired-Rafael-Nadal-new-sport-refuses-tennis-racket#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A133125.20000004768%7D\" height=\"989\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-instgrm-payload-id=\"instagram-media-payload-0\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-description dont-miss\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Link Content Paragraph\">\n<p><strong>Just in\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Qatar Open match suspended as cat gets on court to leave tennis stars stunned<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"whatsapp-group \">\n<p class=\"wapp-inf\">Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our\u00a0Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-place\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-pure\">\n<div class=\"t cc\">\n<div><\/div>\n<p>We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you&#8217;ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our\u00a0Privacy Pol<a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/privacy-notice\">icy<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-description\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Link Content Paragraph\">\n<p>\u201cIn life, it&#8217;s very important to have goals, if you don&#8217;t have them, you can end up getting bored. I&#8217;m a person who has to have things to do, I like it. It&#8217;s a time to organise this new stage and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re doing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s recent, I stopped playing three months ago, but at the moment I&#8217;m well adapted. I&#8217;ve done less sport than I would like. I&#8217;ve started playing football again, which is a joy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Spaniard was a promising footballer when he was younger and one of his uncles, Miguel Angel Nadal, played for Barcelona. While Nadal has found joy in one of his old favourite sports, he\u2019s been avoiding tennis for injury reasons.<\/p>\n<p>The former No. 1 continued: \u201cI haven&#8217;t picked up a racket again, you have to give it time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I stopped playing, my foot was in pain for a month, it was very bad. I lost my rhythm a little, otherwise I would have kept playing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/header>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rafael Nadal has turned his attention to another sport after retiring from professional tennis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tennis"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Retired Nadal finds joy in new sport as he refuses to pick up tennis racket - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=25635\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Retired Nadal finds joy in new sport as he refuses to pick up tennis racket - 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