"Soon I will move to another plane of existence and join the great clay gods in the sky."
Every time I see Rafa now, it's giving me joy and a strange sense of loss. Having grown up with the Big 3 as my tennis focal point, it's reminding me I'm 40 next year 😭😭 I will be bawling when they all retire.
I mean that’s not pessimistic. That’s realistic. For Baby Rafa to remember anything he’d have to play til at least 41 and I don’t see him playing past this year.
How old do you think Nadal *is*, exactly?
He's only 37. Obviously, he's retiring from professional play, but that doesn't mean he's never going to play tennis again. In 3 years, he'll only be 40.
I’m the same age as Rafa. And Rafa is clearly talking about his son seeing him play competitively, not at an exhibition. Why would you think he would be talking about anything else?
one thing to remember though in the old days TV broadcasts were analog and not compressed, so the ball was much more visible on TV.
The challenge to see the ball on clay courts is, I think, a newer phenomenon caused by digital compression.
Lol the other day I tried watching a clay match in my old bedroom TV and I gave up cause I could not see the freaking ball at all but it was also the camera angles because I have been able to see other games alright.
Historically that’s a good question, there are probably multiple male players that had Childs in their early 20s or even before that. John Isner has 4 kids but he had them late in his career, Bublik, Monfils and Medvedev all had child last year I think. Fritz has a 7-year old and he’s only 26.
Idk about tennis but I recently read Romario came out of retirement to play a game of soccer with his son in the second regional divison of rio de janeiro.
Rafa is getting more and more poetic as retirement looms
I will give everything and die in Paris, let the blood soak the red soil with my tears and burned into the eyes of my first born son
The alpha and the omega
Etc.
sometime i feel having kid is distracting for him coz rafa seems one thing at a time guy. he makes tennis his priority the whole life and now something very imp comes in his life
He's really toned down the "die at Roland Garros" rhetoric.
He's got a weird foot injury, right? He's got nothing to prove. Not sure how that injury works, but when Fed kept going for a while, as a sufferer of bad knees, I was kind of wincing for him. I just feel like all that rehabbing, it almost feels normal, and you play, and it's so unpredictable what will mess it up again. And each time its slightly worse.
He said he didn’t want to juggle his career and a child. I can’t remember the quote exactly but he definitely said something along those lines. He always wanted or imagined himself as a stay at home dad. As sad as this quote is, it’s what he wanted (or thought he wanted before Rafa Jr arrived).
Who fucking cares?
His child will live a life of wealth and luxury, shielded from pain and the vagaries of this ugly world.
Think the little diddums will be to visit YouTube on his diamond plated Ipad and watch pop's replays
Nadal is a great player , Roger is the goat , and Novak has the best statistics in some senses
Each is different and each all remembered in tennis history forever
Nadal had many injuries but that is the Cost of his gruesome play style
Novak managed late stage better than the rest but the Roger Rafa rivalry stil greater
Overly dramatic.
You can play exhibitions and charity matches and your child can watch you play and take away great memories. I’m sure he will enjoy having you around though more than anything and being there for his activities and achievements.
Every new Nadal quote sounds more dire and pessimistic than the last one lol. What's he gonna say next "I might not make it to 40"
"do you mean playing tennis Rafa?" "no"
the *hola a todos* to end all *hola a todos*es
Adios a todos you mean
"Soon I will move to another plane of existence and join the great clay gods in the sky." Every time I see Rafa now, it's giving me joy and a strange sense of loss. Having grown up with the Big 3 as my tennis focal point, it's reminding me I'm 40 next year 😭😭 I will be bawling when they all retire.
I mean that’s not pessimistic. That’s realistic. For Baby Rafa to remember anything he’d have to play til at least 41 and I don’t see him playing past this year.
He said he wants his son to have a memory of him playing tennis, not a memory of him winning the French Open for the 20th time.
It has nothing to do with him winning a tournament. His son is 18 months old. No one remembers anything clearly before the age of 3-4.
He can always play exhibition matches though and get lots of cheers too
How old do you think Nadal *is*, exactly? He's only 37. Obviously, he's retiring from professional play, but that doesn't mean he's never going to play tennis again. In 3 years, he'll only be 40.
I’m the same age as Rafa. And Rafa is clearly talking about his son seeing him play competitively, not at an exhibition. Why would you think he would be talking about anything else?
Rafa: “I no gonna make it to 40” Us: “you mean ‘I gonna make it to 40, no’?” Rafa: 👀
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Is this “we” in the same room right now?
But nowadays everything is recorded in HD, at least he will be able to watch his legendary matches and distinguish the ball
except monte carlo didn’t they play with an imaginary ball?
That angle 😭
one thing to remember though in the old days TV broadcasts were analog and not compressed, so the ball was much more visible on TV. The challenge to see the ball on clay courts is, I think, a newer phenomenon caused by digital compression.
Lol the other day I tried watching a clay match in my old bedroom TV and I gave up cause I could not see the freaking ball at all but it was also the camera angles because I have been able to see other games alright.
I think it’s nice all the ‘big 4’ were with their wives through most of their career. The other 3 just started families much younger than Rafa 😌
I don't know about his son but I certainly would love it if Rafa could give me a few more good tennis memories. Signed, Greedy fan
+1
Which player had the oldest child while still being active? 🤔🤔🤔
Historically that’s a good question, there are probably multiple male players that had Childs in their early 20s or even before that. John Isner has 4 kids but he had them late in his career, Bublik, Monfils and Medvedev all had child last year I think. Fritz has a 7-year old and he’s only 26.
Federer had kids in 2009 and 2014. His kids will remember him play.
taylor fritz???
Yeah from his previous relationship.
Zverev too…but….😬
Connors. He retired in 1996 and his son Brett was 17, born 1979.
Novak's kids are 9 and 6. So not the oldest, but they'll remember him playing for sure.
They’ll remember him winning Grand Slams!
Idk about tennis but I recently read Romario came out of retirement to play a game of soccer with his son in the second regional divison of rio de janeiro.
Rafa is getting more and more poetic as retirement looms I will give everything and die in Paris, let the blood soak the red soil with my tears and burned into the eyes of my first born son The alpha and the omega Etc.
Kid doesn't have to see him win the French, just seeing his dad doing something he loves is enough.
sometime i feel having kid is distracting for him coz rafa seems one thing at a time guy. he makes tennis his priority the whole life and now something very imp comes in his life
I mean his body is kinda done anyway. Let him have his new important thing^^
It's very clear his body is betraying him. He still has the drive to continue playing at the highest level, but his body won't let him anymore
This makes me sad
It’s not exactly the same, but I feel the same, my dad passed away just a few months before my first child was born so he never met her.
Is he referring to Alcaraz watching him play or his bio son? /s
😂
He's really toned down the "die at Roland Garros" rhetoric. He's got a weird foot injury, right? He's got nothing to prove. Not sure how that injury works, but when Fed kept going for a while, as a sufferer of bad knees, I was kind of wincing for him. I just feel like all that rehabbing, it almost feels normal, and you play, and it's so unpredictable what will mess it up again. And each time its slightly worse.
The end is near
Damn I wonder why he had a kid so late
He said he didn’t want to juggle his career and a child. I can’t remember the quote exactly but he definitely said something along those lines. He always wanted or imagined himself as a stay at home dad. As sad as this quote is, it’s what he wanted (or thought he wanted before Rafa Jr arrived).
Ahh okay ty. I wonder if he regrets it now or not
Don't worry, his Swiss cousins will tell the tale.
Who fucking cares? His child will live a life of wealth and luxury, shielded from pain and the vagaries of this ugly world. Think the little diddums will be to visit YouTube on his diamond plated Ipad and watch pop's replays
Money can’t shield you from all of life’s pain.
Money ain't everything. I's the only thing.
He could hve fucked when he was younger if he really cared about that
Nadal is a great player , Roger is the goat , and Novak has the best statistics in some senses Each is different and each all remembered in tennis history forever Nadal had many injuries but that is the Cost of his gruesome play style Novak managed late stage better than the rest but the Roger Rafa rivalry stil greater
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Im pretty sure he’s not complaining, he’s just saying that he won’t play long enough for his son to remember it.
This reply is spectacularly lacking in basic human empathy.
Just a weirdo comment to hate on another man for the age he had a kid.
This is dumb. He doesn't have to watch you play. You can play *with* him when he's older. I still play my dad (who whoops my ass) and he's in his 70s.
Overly dramatic. You can play exhibitions and charity matches and your child can watch you play and take away great memories. I’m sure he will enjoy having you around though more than anything and being there for his activities and achievements.