October 31st, 2024. For some it’s a date that means little; for others, just one of many Halloweens. But for tennis fans, that date marks the end of an era. Because it is on that very date when the legendary Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from the sport. Now, just over a year later, Nadal has shown that even in retirement, you never fully leave tennis.

Despite his retirement, Nadal’s connection to tennis remains strong, primarily through the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca. It is through this that his path converged with that of Alexandra Eala, a rising Filipino sensation. Eala, who was born in Quezon City, joined the academy at the age of 12 and trained there for six years before graduating in 2023.

Recently, the Spaniard had a practice session with Eala, the first time he’s been on court since retiring. On X, he shared his experience, stating, “One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court! It was great to practice with you Alex Eala! Next time I will be stronger.”

The accompanying clip, set to an upbeat tune, showed Nadal and Eala hitting some practice shots off of each other, with Nadal still looking sharp. Social media was flooded with Nadal’s many fans rejoicing at his return, while Eala commented on Instagram, “Thank you for today, Rafa. Back like you never left!”

Coming back to his training partner, under the academy’s guidance, Eala has rapidly ascended the ranks, achieving a monumental breakthrough in 2025.

As a wildcard entry at the Miami Open, she stunned the tennis world by defeating top players, including World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, to become the first Filipino player to reach the semi-finals of a WTA 1000 event. This historic run propelled her to the highest WTA ranking ever for a player from the Philippines, capturing global attention and the pride of her mentor. But while Nadal took an extended hiatus off the tennis court, he’s been keeping up with other passions.

Rafael Nadal on his new passion following tennis retirement

For someone who has achieved everything in tennis, Rafael Nadal doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. Since retiring, Nadal has really shown off his multi-sport side, exploring some new options lately. In a podcast interview, he shared, “I love sports in general and my life has always been linked to sport.”

And just like his heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal has been exploring his love of golf. “But I was especially fond of golf when I was a professional because it was a sport that allowed me to do something that I enjoyed outside of tennis and with a minimal risk of injury.”

Nadal also opened up about his love for soccer, saying, “I loved playing soccer and other things, but there was a risk of injury that I had to avoid. I have now played soccer several times. After fifteen years without playing, I have become bad, I play what I can. Normally a striker.”

He may have stepped away from the sport he loved for so long, but that competitive fire in him is still burning strong.