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RAFAEL NADAL’s legacy will shine on after hanging up his racket.
The Spanish tennis legend has said farewell to tennis at the age of 38.
Rafael Nadal has hung up his racket after a glittering career in tennis
Instagram @Rafaelnadal
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RexIn an emotional five minute clip on social media, the 22-time Grand Slam winner announced his plans.
He said: “I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially.
“I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.”
In recent years, Nadal has struggled with injuries and his playing time has been restricted.
However, he retires as king of The French Open, which he won a record 14 times.
Off the court, Nadal lives a life of luxury generated by the wads of money he has earned from being an ace on it.
Rafael has made a whopping £170million during his illustrious career, as the curtain comes down on it.
He lives in a stunning beachfront Majorcan mansion, which he paid around £3million for in 2013.
The Real Madrid super fan splashed the cash on a private jet – a Cessna Citation CJ2+ that flew him to tournaments around the globe that cost £5million.
Nadal also travels by sea in his stunning £4.5million 80 Sunreef Power catamaran, a super yacht he had custom-made.
He has had insurance worker Maria Francisca Perello by his side throughout his success, with the pair finally marrying in 2019 after 14 years together.
A home with a view
Although Nadal likes to remain private, like many professional athletes he gave us a glimpse into his amazing home in the Balearic Islands during lockdown in 2020.
Found in Porto Cristo, Manacor, he paid £3million for the stunning beach property that spans just over 1,000 square metres.
It was reported that Nadal spent seven years renovating the mansion, and pulled down some of the buildings before it became a dream place to live.
The design, from what we’ve seen on Instagram, is minimalist with all the essentials Nadal needs.
He has a fully-equipped gym to keep on top of his fitness.
While in his downtime, he can enjoy views of the Mediterranean sea and idyllic coves from his window.
Instagram @rafaelnadal
Instagram @rafaelnadal
Instagram @rafaelnadal
Instagram @rafaelnadalTime to fly
It’s amazing to think that in 2010, Nadal tried to get on an economy flight to the Match for Africa until rival Roger Federer gave him a lift in his private jet.
Not wanting to get stuck again, the 14-time French Open winner decided to buy his own plane – a Cessna Citation CJ2+ worth £5million.
Only 223 of the jets were made, and it costs around £220,000-per-year to maintain.
The Cessna Citation CJ2+ can accommodate eight passengers in luxury.
Not forgetting what Federer did for him, Nadal gave Viktor Troicki a lift to London in his jet after beating him in the Mercedes Cup final the day before.
Troicki later thanked Nadal for allowing him to fly with him and shared a snap with the former World No1 and a pilot on Twitter.
“Thanks to great champion @RafaelNadal for giving us lift to London!” he said.
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By land and by sea
Back in 2019, Nadal traded in what yacht for another. He sold his 76-foot Italian-built MCY 76 motor yacht he called Beethoven for a cool £2million.
Then, he put that money towards buying an amazing customised 80 Sunreef Power catamaran for £4.5million.
Built for long cruises and not skimping on full comfort, the 80 Sunreef Power is powered by two 1,200 hp engines.
It has a personal jet-ski garage and a 39-foot beam with a superyacht-style flybridge that offers a vast living space big enough to house a hot tub, a wet bar and the waterfall-fed pool.
The main deck can be set up in a variety of ways, dependent on your dining needs with different seating, an open plan kitchen and a bar.
The master suite, which is also on the main deck, offers sea views, as well as natural light thanks to the skylight overhead.
It has an en-suite bathroom with a shower, a spacious closet and a desk.
There are four guest cabins and two crew cabins, with up to 12 guests able to be accommodated at one time.
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Sunreef YachtsSharing his life
Despite spending most of his time travelling around the world, the one constant in his life is his one true love, Maria.
Better known as Xisca Perello, she has never been one to hog the limelight or a celebrity lifestyle, though Nadal himself enjoyed hanging out with Spain’s World Cup stars in 2010 with the trophy.
“It’s not a world I want to be part of, nor do I think Rafa would have chosen to be with a woman who looked for that in life,” she once said.
They met in the early 2000s, and were firm friends before they started dating in 2005.
They married in 2019 in a star-studded ceremony in front of around 350 guests at the La Fortaleza castle in Majorca.
Celebrities in tow to watch the couple’s nuptials included actors Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie.
But, she was hardly seen on the circuit cheering Rafael on.
“He needs his space when he is competing, and just the idea of me hanging around and waiting on his needs all day tires me out,” she told the Telegraph in 2011.
“It would asphyxiate me. And then he would have to be worrying about me… No. If I followed him everywhere, I think there’s a risk we might stop getting along.”
Rafa, enjoy your retirement.
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