Overview
- In a Nov. 25 Movistar/Universo Valdano interview, Nadal offered his first substantive public update since stepping away last year.
- He said he retired because his body could no longer meet his standard for elite competition, calling it a decision made once “the tank was already empty.”
- He reflected that constant rivalry with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic left no room to skip tournaments during his peak years.
- He said he has found peace without daily performance pressure, though the competitive adrenaline lingers.
- He remains connected to the sport through his academy and occasional light hitting, including a recent 45‑minute session with Alexandra Eala, and he favors intuition over heavy data use as the game grows more powerful.