WATCH: Rafael Nadal enjoys quality time at Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien's Next Gen ATP Finals SF match as Spaniard soaks in tennis post retirement

Rafael Nadal is once again in Saudi Arabia, only this time he's in Jeddah instead of Riyadh because the ATP Next Gen Finals are taking place there. The last time Nadal was in Saudi Arabia before this trip was in October when he played at the Six Kings Slam, a somewhat controversial but very notable exhibition event that also featured Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, and Daniil Medvedev.

The Spaniard was spotted by cameras enjoying the semifinal match between Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien. The American duo has played superbly so far at the event and making the semifinals ensured that an American will stand in the final. There aren't any Spaniards at the event except for Martin Landaluce, who was an alternate and never got a chance to play.

As for Nadal, this is just the first of many post-tennis engagements that he'll have as he slowly adjusts to being more of a tennis ambassador than a player. In that role, he spent some time with a few of the players competing at the event, which was shared on the social media profiles of the ATP.

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Rafael Nadal and his increased engagement Saudi Arabia

The trip to Jeddah was also part of Rafael Nadal's increased engagement in Saudi Arabia as he famously is the tennis ambassador for the Saudi tennis federation. That was announced earlier this year to the great disappointment of many tennis fans.

Saudi Arabia doesn't enjoy the most stellar reputation in the West and many tennis fans have expressed negative stances towards the country's increased engagement with the sport through the Public Investment Fund.

That fund invested in tennis with the intent of bringing more events to the country, with the ATP renaming its official rankings to 'PIF Rankings'. The investment in the sport didn't just solely focus on the events but also on players as Nadal became the center of that project.

The Spaniard signed a deal to become the official tennis ambassador for the country, committing to building an academy there. It won't be the first academy in the Gulf either as Nadal already built an academy in Kuwait and has made trips to that part of the world on a regular basis.

“Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I’m excited to be part of that," Rafael Nadal in January 2024 after becoming Saudi tennis Ambassador.

When it comes to his deal with Saudi Arabia, he faced a lot of criticism for it, but he has dismissed that, opting to focus on what can be done to promote the sport further and push the country further in their efforts to modernize.