Nadal enjoying pain-free life

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, said 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.”

He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects.

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