Rafael Nadal shares his true feelings on coaching after retirement
Rafael Nadal says his door is always open if players want some advice but a permanent coaching job is unlikely for now.
Despite retiring from the sport nearly two years ago, Nadal is still one of the biggest drawcards in tennis.
The 22-time major winner hung up his racket in late 2024, as injuries and Father Time finally took their toll on the King of Clay.
The Spaniard has been back in the headlines in recent weeks following the release of his fly-on-the-wall documentary, ‘Rafa’.
The four-part series showcases the incredible highs and painful lows during his glittering career. Many fans are now asking what comes next for the 40-year-old?
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In an interview with Andy Roddick, the former world No 1 asked Nadal how important it was to be available to the next generation of players.
After all, the 14-time Roland Garros winner is busy running his academy in Manacor, where the likes of Iga Swiatek, Alex Eala, and Alexander Zverev have come for guidance.
While helping current players is not a problem, coaching an individual full-time is.
He said, via the Served podcast, “I mean, I am very clear about that. I am not ready to help anyone in a diary basis because I have plenty of things in my life that don’t allow me to put all my attention in a particular player the way that they deserve it. So that’s the truth.
“But then, I mean, my phone is always open for any call, for any player. If they want to come to the academy for a few days, I will be there. I mean, Iga came, Sascha [Zverev] last year for a while. Then I had a couple of conversations with other players.
“These ones are public, the other ones are not so I don’t want to say [about] that. But a couple of players that they asked me for a tip or for a conversation about how I deal with one thing or with another.
“If I can help the others with zero interest, because I probably, all these young players, all the things that they are living today, I went through, I’m happy to do it. For me, it’s not a big issue. And if I can be a help, very welcome.”
In addition to his academy and his other work commitments, Nadal is primarily focusing on his family, which includes wife Mery Perello and children Rafael Jr and Miquel.
GO DEEPER: Wimbledon: Tributes flood in as former British No 1 sets retirement date