- Nadal will be in Saudi Arabia during Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF
- The Spanish superstar retired from tennis this season and is mentoring the next generation
- Saudi Tennis Federation aims to inspire one million into tennis by 2030
- Nadal imparted wisdom on elite Saudi junior players during previous visit to Riyadh, encouraging them to ‘practice every day with a clear goal’
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia-: The Saudi Tennis Federation works towards its goal of inspiring one million into the sport by 2030 and with that purpose, tennis legend Rafael Nadal will arrive in Jeddah on Friday and will mentor the next generation of Saudi players.
Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) ambassador Nadal will spend two days in Jeddah from Friday, 20 December and will participate in various visits to schools and tennis clubs. The Spanish great will meet with aspiring Saudi players to offer advice and guidance, using the experience he has gained from a record-breaking 23-year professional career to impart his wisdom on the next generation.
Nadal’s visit is part of wider ambitions to expand tennis in Saudi Arabia. In addition to hosting prestigious professional events, including this week’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF and the WTA Finals in November, the STF has launched several initiatives across the Kingdom to encourage more people into tennis. The ‘Tennis for All’ program, in collaboration with the Saudi Sports For All Federation, saw 29,000 schoolchildren introduced to tennis in 2023.
At the same time, with more than 40 national tournaments and three ITF junior events held annually, access and opportunity for tennis youth continue to rapidly increase.
Nadal was appointed Saudi Tennis Federation ambassador in January and has already used his role to impact tennis in the Kingdom. During a previous trip to Riyadh, the 22-time Grand Slam champion made a surprise appearance to spend time with five of Saudi Arabia’s elite junior players.
Nadal was happy to impart some wisdom from his two-decade career, answering several questions from the young hopefuls and sharing some important advice that helped him achieve one of the greatest careers in tennis history.
The Spanish superstar and legend of the sport is known for his tenacity and fighting spirit as much as for his immeasurable skill and talent, inspiring generations of players and millions of fans around the world.
Asked about what allowed the Spanish icon to dominate the men’s game for over 20 years, Nadal said: “There is no magic. First of all, it’s about practicing hard and with the right attitude and intensity every single day. Some days you can practice at your 100 percent, other days you practice at your 60 percent, but when you have to give and try your best always.
“That’s how I understand life and that is how I live sports; practicing every day with a clear goal to be better and working on the self-control of your emotions. And when you’re in the tennis match losing two sets to love, OK, you know it’s going to be difficult, but you feel you can try to find solutions because you have the mind fresh enough to analyse the situation and try to find a solution to change the dynamic of the match.”
During an incomparable 23-year career, Nadal has shaped the futures of countless players through his example on the court, and he will move into a more full-time mentorship role in retirement. That includes his responsibilities with the STF and its ambitions to inspire one million into tennis by 2030.
Asked if he felt any extra pressure from expectations to always win, Nadal said: “I expect myself to win too but always respecting every situation, every match, every opponent. When you go on court, you know you can win but you know you can lose too, so you need to be ready for both things.
“It’s been part of my life since I was a small kid. Of course, you feel pressure, but you have to deal with that because it’s our life. To lose is a very important part of our lives because every week we only have one winner, and the rest of the players lose. So, you need to accept the losses without getting used to losing. You need to feel sad when you lose to know what to do better the next time.”
Nadal is also involved in the development of Saudi Arabia’s elite-player programs, building on the impressive progress already being made. There are now 20 Saudis in the ITF rankings – up from just one two years ago – and the Davis Cup team was promoted to World Group II for the first time in its history.
