For the first time since Rafael Nadal called time on his extraordinary career, the French Open begins without the looming prospect of its most dominant champion, and while Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era, the 14-time winner says he is content to leave the stage behind.
The Spaniard, who officially retired in November 2024, told French sports daily L'Equipe that he no longer misses competing and is enjoying a normal, pain-free life after years of battling chronic injuries.
"I feel good today, not because I'm back on a tennis court, but because I'm living a normal life without pain," Nadal said. "I don't miss playing. I knew I had reached my limit."
This year’s tournament is the first of the post-Nadal era, a symbolic shift for an event so long synonymous with his name.
As the next generation of contenders prepares to stake its claim on the clay, Nadal is watching from afar, embracing life beyond the tour.
"The first 40 days after I stopped were tough because I felt I could still play well," Nadal admitted. "But my foot made it impossible."
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He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects. Nadal says he’s relishing the freedom of life without the rigid demands of the tour and has no regrets about how his career unfolded.
"I’ve had a wonderful life beyond the courts," he said. "Tennis was a huge part of it, but it was never everything.”
Nadal singled out world No 1 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the current leaders of the men’s game, while also highlighting Holger Rune, Jack Draper, and Jakub Mensik as emerging talents.
Looking back, Nadal said his proudest achievement was not his record haul of trophies, but his ability to preserve his enthusiasm and values through years of gruelling competition and injury setbacks.
“My ability to constantly improve and surround myself with the right people is what I value most,” he said. “Fame and extremes — none of that took away the things I love, like my family, friends, the sea, and other sports.”