Every professional player who has played for a long time has certain dreams and plans for what his retired life would look like.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal is not different in this regard. However, he is also known for being disciplined and very close to his family, which somewhat changed his post-tennis priorities.
Rafael Nadal’s Golf Dream vs. Fatherhood
Nadal and his wife, Maria Francisca Perelló, welcomed their first baby boy, Rafael Nadal Jr., in October 2022. Now, the two-year-old has become the heart of his parents’ world and has changed Nadal’s daily life significantly. As the tennis legend was leaving his professional career, he pictured a relaxing retirement with one big wish, which was to spend more time playing golf.
In a recent interview with “NDL-PRO HEALTH,” Nadal shared how becoming a father has beautifully disrupted his golf dreams. He said, “I thought that after finishing my career, I’d play golf four or five times in a week. Eventually, because of work and because I want to be at home with him, I end up playing two hours of golf and playing with him.”
The man who once planned everything around tournaments and training now adjusts his schedule around his son. “I have a life with little routine nowadays, and I try to organize my day so I can spend time at home. I like to pick up my son from school, to be honest. I do it as often as I can. I also try to schedule most of my work, like meetings and all that, in the mornings,” Nadal said.
Rafa Jr. has also disrupted the sleep cycle of his father. “I used to wake up with the alarm clock and now I have a child who wakes me up,” Nadal admitted. He further revealed that his son wakes him up at around 7:00am, which is earlier than the time he used to wake up. But the father is not complaining, as he also mentioned that he has always loved children and was prepared for such a “dream” lifestyle.
Nadal’s Golfing Background
Nadal has been playing golf for years. Despite being a lefty in tennis, courtesy of his uncle Toni, he is right-handed in golf. His semi-western tennis forehand grip naturally turns into an interlocking grip when he uses the golf club.
View this post on Instagram
As per The Mirror, Nadal had a reported handicap of -1.0 once, which is quite good for an amateur. He has competed in several professional and semi-professional golf tournaments and even won the 2024 Balearic Mid-Amateur in Mallorca. He has played in other tournaments like Qromia Hexagonal Golf Circuit, San Sebastián Golf Tournament, and so on.
Nadal also made it to the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Although his exact rank isn’t known, being listed itself is a testament to his skills.
