Rafael Nadal shares special moment with taekwondo star Adriana Cerezo after receiving prestigious 'Heart of Spain’ award

Rafael Nadal triumphantly returned to the public eye after his retirement last November. On Tuesday, February 11, the Spanish Olympic Committee (Comité Olímpico Español) hosted a tribute event in Madrid to honor the tennis legend's unparalleled achievements.

The Spaniard, who has been away from the limelight following his retirement in November 2024, was presented with the prestigious ‘Corazón de España’ (Heart of Spain) award by Spanish NOC President Alejandro Blanco.

The ceremony highlighted Nadal's immense contribution to sports and his legacy as one of the greatest athletes. Among the many accolades, the 38-year-old received a signed canvas photo commemorating his Rio 2016 gold medal triumph.

Adriana Cerezo, a 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist in Taekwondo, was among the athletes present at the event. Her excitement was palpable as she met the athlete she had long admired. Cerezo shared her joy on Instagram, posting a selfie with the tennis legend and captioning it:

"Super special day yesterday at @coe_es with @rafaelnadal. Super grateful to be able to listen and learn from the best athlete in history."

The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion reshared her story, and expressed his gratitude, writing:

"Thank you very much for coming and for your words!"

The Spaniard's Instagram story/@rafaelnadal

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Rafael Nadal reveals he hasn’t touched a tennis racket since retiring

In Picture: Rafael Nadal (Source: Getty)

Rafael Nadal acknowledged that he hasn’t touched a tennis racket since retiring from the sport at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November 2024. The Spanish legend explained that his priority has now shifted to finding purpose beyond tennis, after having devoted nearly his entire life to the game.

"Life is going well for me. I'm fine. I'm adapting to a new stage. They don't let me get bored. I'm doing things that have to be done. It is very important to have objectives in life so as not to get bored," he said (quotes collected and translated via Olympics.com). "For me, the big satisfaction above everything else is to be able to retire in peace."

"I like being active and doing things, now is the time to organize my next chapter. At the moment, I’ve adapted well. I’m playing a bit of football, but I haven’t picked up a racket since!" he added.

Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee and host of the event, proposed that the 38-year-old become a member of the Olympic Committee.