A year after retiring, Rafael Nadal returned to the court to practice with rising star Alexandra Eala, celebrating her rapid rise in tennis while sharing a joyful moment with his former academy student.
Rafael Nadal is back on court a year after retiring from professional tennis — not to compete, but for something more meaningful. In a heartfelt social-media post on the anniversary of his retirement, the 22-time Grand Slam champion shared a video of himself practising with rising star AlexandraEala, a former student from his RafaNadal Academy.
Nadal retired in October 2024 and played his final match at the Davis Cup Finals later that November at the age of 38. In his post, he wrote: “One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court! Next time I will be stronger.” During the practice session with Eala, he appeared relaxed and joyful, even laughing when she hit a strong forehand past him.