“This must be the last season before retirement”, what Rafa Nadal is experiencing at 37 years old and what awaits him after leaving tennis | OPINION

Rafael Nadal reaches the end of his career with some doubts that are difficult to solve. In the fully sporting field, the question is how long he will be able to sell the idea that his career is a story that lacks one more triumphant return. In the professional field, that of managing one’s prestige, the question is whether it will be worth mortgaging everything earned on the ATP circuit, as a symbol of effort, perseverance, will and tenacity, to monetize it in exhibitions and facelifts in Arabia Saudi.

A week ago, when he faced his successor, Carlos Alcaraz, at an event in Las Vegas broadcast on Netflix, we had some insights. Nadal is a tennis player in shape but lacking rhythm, insecure when climbing to heights that he previously climbed with ease, and therefore somewhat rigid, in the manner of those old cars that seek to roll with the handbrake on.

The question for the viewer is whether this was just pre-competitive care ahead of Indian Wells or if it was all the Manacorí could give. A few days ago, when he announced that he was withdrawing from the North American tournament, the answer was clear: the balance of the exhibition was negative, which will force Nadal to prioritize the clay season, his specialty, and not expose himself on the hard court or to injuries or spectacular defeats: “…I am not ready to play at the highest level in such an important event,” he said in a statement online. “It is not an easy decision, in fact it is difficult, but I cannot lie to myself or lie to the thousands of fans.”

Months away from turning 38 and with only seven official matches in two years, this must be the Spaniard’s last season before retirement. Retirement is hard for high-performance athletes because it involves an identity duel (if I’m not an elite tennis player, what am I?) and a professional challenge that can be perceived by many as insurmountable (they throw themselves into “real life” to an adult who cannot do what he did best in his life). However, in the case of Spanish these dilemmas seem resolved.

The hiring of Nadal as an ambassador for Saudi tennis was perceived as the safe passage that the king of clay had found for his near future. This does not seem to be good news for the scrupulous fan; “sportwashing” a regime in which human rights are a bad joke cannot be taken lightly. The tennis player is aware of this and indicates that, if he does not achieve transformations in his representation role, he will recognize that he made a mistake. But believing that the sheikhs have signed him to align themselves with respect and tolerance is an unacceptable level of naivety, so we will have to get used to the idea that the brilliance of the stars is also a commodity that can be bought and sold.

Therefore, there are only two things left to do regarding La Fiera: enjoy his game as much as possible from Monte Carlo to Roland Garros, and once you hang up your rackets, renege.