Nadal Says Las Vegas Exhibition Will Test His Body
Former world number one Rafael Nadal is enjoying life after tennis and is largely free of the daily pain that marked the final years of his career, but he says an upcoming Las Vegas exhibition will test whether his body can again withstand serious preparation.
Nadal, who retired from professional tennis two years ago, has stepped up his training ahead of February’s MGM Slam while juggling business commitments and family life with his two young children.
“Life is treating me well,” Nadal told Reuters from his home in Mallorca, Spain. “I’m enjoying this new chapter, travelling more than expected, working more than I expected, to tell you the truth, but in a good way.”
The 22-times Grand Slam champion said he had been concerned about his physical condition after retirement, having endured years of injuries and pain during his career.
“After two years of being retired, I can say that most of the time I am in good shape,” Nadal said. “I am not going through a lot of pain on a daily basis, something that for me is very important because I suffered enough for so many years.”
A Las Vegas exhibition test, not a comeback
Nadal was careful about how he described the Las Vegas event. He did not present it as a comeback, and he did not promise a return to competitive tennis. He presented it as a test that would tell him things about his body.
“For me it will be a test that will tell me things, so let’s see,” he said. “I am just excited to be back on court in front of an amazing crowd.”
An exhibition allows Nadal to prepare seriously and measure his body without the weekly pressure of the tour calendar that wore him down in his final years.
Nadal said the chance to return to the court in Las Vegas appealed because he knew the venue and the organisers, although he had to think carefully before agreeing to play. He also competed at the event in 2024, when he faced Carlos Alcaraz, so the setting is familiar rather than new.
Organisers have yet to reveal the rest of the field for the February event. Nadal did not rule out playing with or against longtime rival and close friend Roger Federer at the MGM Slam or another exhibition.
“We talk very often,” Nadal said of Federer. “If we find the right place, the right moment, I think we’ll be excited to play against each other, or to play together in doubles.”
A Nadal-Federer meeting, in any format, would draw a large audience on its own. For now, it remains a possibility rather than a confirmed fixture, and Nadal framed it exactly that way.
Praise for Alcaraz, Sinner and Shelton
Turning to the current generation, Nadal singled out Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the young players he would most have liked to face more often. He also praised the potential of American Ben Shelton, although he said the US Open runner-up was not yet fully consistent.
Nadal cautioned against comparing the developing Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry with the era defined by his matches against Federer and Novak Djokovic.
“They need time. They need to create their own stories,” Nadal said. “They are doing amazing things in terms of results. Let’s give them time.”
That caution is consistent with Nadal’s public stance throughout his career. He has rarely rushed to rank one generation against another, and he has often stressed that rivalries need time and shared history before they can be judged.
Alcaraz and Sinner both missed significant periods through injury this season, while three of the year’s four Grand Slam tournaments were played in brutally hot conditions. Those facts underline why Nadal’s comments about the calendar carry weight: he knows, from experience, what a demanding schedule does to a player’s body.
Nadal’s warning about the calendar
Nadal reiterated his long-held concerns about the demands of the men’s tennis calendar, particularly the number of mandatory tournaments and the prevalence of hardcourt events.
“The problem is not how long is the calendar,” Nadal said. “The problem is how long is the calendar in terms of mandatory tournaments.”
He said players should have greater freedom to skip events without suffering a substantial rankings penalty, and he suggested that tournaments after the US Open could be reduced or count towards the following season.
Related coverage: the WTA Finals draw put Rybakina with Gauff; Djokovic became the oldest Paris Masters match winner; a Belgian court rejected Antwerp’s homegrown challenge; and Pakistan named a 23-player U17 squad for the Laos qualifiers.
Frequently asked questions
When is Nadal’s Las Vegas exhibition?
The MGM Slam will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on February 28.
Why does Nadal call it a test?
He says the event will test whether his body can again withstand serious preparation, after two years in retirement largely free of daily pain.
Did Nadal play at the MGM Slam before?
Yes. He competed at the event in 2024, when he faced Carlos Alcaraz.
Could Nadal play Federer at the event?
Organisers have yet to reveal the full field, but Nadal did not rule out playing with or against Federer at the MGM Slam or another exhibition.
What did Nadal say about the tennis calendar?
He said the problem is the number of mandatory tournaments, and that players should have greater freedom to skip events without a substantial rankings penalty.
