Thursday, November 28, 2024, 01:36
On November 19, Rafael Nadal put an end to his career in Malaga, in the Davis Cup. The Spaniard said goodbye to the public and to tennis, leaving behind an indelible legacy, impossible victories, trophies and a way of understanding sport (and life) that has inspired millions of people. «I am retiring from professional tennis but I am still here, I hope to be a good ambassador for tennis. It’s what I’ve tried my whole life, to strive to be better and achieve goals. I have tried to do it with respect and humility, and value all the good things that have happened to me. “I have tried to be a good person, I hope you have perceived it that way,” he assured the audience at the Martín Carpena.
It seems that Nadal will continue to be linked to the world of tennis. Although he has one facet as a businessman, owning hotels and restaurants, perhaps his biggest project is his tennis academy in his native Manacor. There hundreds of young people try to achieve the dream that Rafa lived firsthand. Maybe bigger than he could ever imagine. But is it possible for Nadal to become a coach?
For Mats Wilander, former number 1 and winner of seven Grand Slams, it is a more than possible scenario. The Swede firmly believes that the future of the Balearic Islands lies in becoming prepared. Specifically that of Carlos Alcaraz. «It is very possible that Nadal returns as a coach. “I can even imagine him training Alcaraz,” he stated in an interview for Euroesport.
Although Alcaraz maintains a successful relationship with his current coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Wilander pointed out an area where Nadal could make a difference: “Carlos has one of the best coaches now, but he needs to maintain the same intensity throughout an entire match. Nadal was able to maintain that concentration, so I can see the value he could bring.
And if not as a coach, Wilander believes that Nadal will have an important role in the world of tennis: «Be that as it may, Nadal will be involved in thinking about tennis, either as a coach or as a commentator, and that is very valuable. He may even become the future captain of the Davis Cup.”
For the moment, seeing the Nadal-Alcaraz duo again as happened in the last Paris Games seems complicated. However, it is surely an idea that excites several fans.
