WATCH: Rafael Nadal back on clay for the first time since retirement; spars with young kids in Saudi Arabia during ATP Next Gen Finals visit

Rafael Nadal was recently seen spending quality time on the tennis court for the first time since his retirement. He played tennis with some kids during his visit to the ATP Next Gen Finals.

Nadal announced his retirement on October 10, 2024, stating that he would end his legendary tennis career at the end of the 2024 season. The Spaniard competed in the Six Kings Slam event and the Davis Cup Finals before hanging up his rackets. In the latter tournament, Nadal lost the final match of his career to Botic van de Zandschulp with a score of 4-6, 4-6.

Similarly, in the Six Kings Slam, he was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the third-place showdown with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (5).

The 38-year-old made his first tennis appearance after his retirement at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, taking place from December 18-22. During his visit, the former player was seen back on a clay court for the first time since his retirement.

The video was shared on social media, where he was seen spending time playing tennis with some kids. The caption of the post read:

"Earlier today Rafa was hitting (on clay!) with some kids."

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Rafael Nadal opened up about his breathing struggles on the court

In an interview with the Players' Tribune, Rafael Nadal recalled an incident where he faced difficulties on the court. He revealed that he was always aware of how to handle physical pain; however, when it came to mental struggles, he was not aware of how to handle himself, and he suffered from breathing struggles while playing on the court.

"I went through a very difficult moment, mentally, a few years ago. Physical pain I was very used to, but there were times on the court when I had trouble controlling my breathing, and I couldn’t play at the highest level. I don’t have trouble saying it now," said Rafael Nadal.

Along with this, he spoke about his willpower and said that he was proud of himself for never giving up despite the struggles.

"There were months when I thought about taking a complete break from tennis to cleanse my mind. In the end, I worked on it every day to get better. I conquered it by always moving forward, and I slowly became myself again. The thing that I’m most proud of is that I may have struggled, but I never quit. I always gave the maximum."

Rafael Nadal won a total of 92 singles career titles, which included 22 Grand Slams and 14 French Open titles. He also won an Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008.