Rafael Nadal made great sacrifices to enjoy the hugely successful tennis career that he did. Arguably, more than most.
After all, the Spaniard was plagued with injuries throughout his playing days, battling through Mueller-Weiss syndrome, a degenerative foot condition which causes significant, daily pain in his navicular bone.
Despite this setback, the Spaniard did not slow down, and the fact that he competed at all, let alone won 22 Grand Slam titles, is astounding.
However, the fact that he had to protect his body more than most meant he had to sacrifice more, including playing sports outside of tennis.
Skiing is clearly one such activity he was unable to do.
Rafael Nadal posts message on social media after going skiing
Fortunately, having retired in 2024, he has far more time for himself. And, without professional tennis on his agenda, his body is far less strained.
It’s been uplifting to see Nadal enjoy his retirement, whether that be attending events, playing golf, or even just soaking up family time that he has missed over the years.
And now, taking to social media, the 39-year-old has shared a post revealing that he has finally been skiing again, for the first time in 26 years.
He wrote: “After 26 years… what an incredible feeling to ski again!”
Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn wrote in the comments: “We have to ski together when I’m healthy!”
Jannik Sinner is tennis’ greatest tie to skiing
Whilst Nadal was likely only skiing recreationally, Jannik Sinner remains the biggest bridge between this popular snow sport and tennis.
After all, at one point early on in his career, he could have actually gone professional in ski racing.
At age 13, he was forced to make a decision on his future, and gave up skiing and football on account of his frame. The Italian was tall and thin, and it was thought that he would thrive in tennis. It’s fair to say that was a successful call.
However, he remains hugely intertwined with the slopes, often promoting both tennis and skiing. His brand partnership with Head, which makes his rackets, also coincidentally makes skis and other snow sports equipment.
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