Rafael Nadal has refused to rule out taking up a coaching role in retirement, stating he would “never say never” to exploring this potential pathway.

Reflecting on Retirement

Nadal officially retired at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga last month, concluding a stellar two-decade career as Spain lost to the Netherlands in their quarter-final encounter.

At 38, Nadal remains one of the most decorated players in tennis history, boasting:

• 22 Grand Slam singles titles
• 209 weeks as ATP World No. 1

While the Spaniard has not disclosed specific plans for his post-retirement life, fans and pundits alike are speculating about his next moves.

Coaching: A Possible Future?

Last week, Nadal attended the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, offering advice to young talents. This sparked fresh conversations about whether he might become a tennis ‘super coach’—a role several former world No. 1s have embraced.

Speaking to Arab News, Nadal addressed the idea:

“You never say never. Today it’s too early to think about this kind of stuff. I just need to organize my life. Now I don’t see myself in any project like this, but I don’t know how life is going to be in one, two, three years.”

Netflix Documentary in 2025

One certainty in Nadal’s future is the release of a highly-anticipated Netflix documentary in 2025, profiling his career and personal life. Nadal himself expressed excitement about the project:

“I think it’s going to be something interesting, that people are going to know more about my personal life, my daily life trying to come back.
And of course, they’re going to know more about my career, even if it’s very well known around, but to know a little bit more from inside, something that has never been talked about before.”

He added that collaborating with Skydance and David Ellison helped convince him to move forward with the documentary:

“We have been working very hard. I always have been a little bit against doing this stuff, but a great team presented the project, and it was a fast decision. I hope people will like it.”

As Nadal begins this new chapter of his life, the tennis world watches closely to see what ventures this legend will pursue next.