In December, young tennis stars will feel the pressure with Nadal watching them at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.
Nadal usually spends December getting ready for a new season or healing from injuries. But now, after retiring at the Davis Cup Finals, those days are over. His last match ended with a loss to Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands, marking Team Spain’s exit and his retirement.
Earlier in October, Nadal played in Riyadh’s Six Kings Slam Exhibition. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune also joined him there. After losing to Alcaraz in straight sets, he faced Djokovic one last time. Although he lost again, he fought hard in a second-set tiebreak.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal | 38 | 215 | 7 - 5 |
Why Nadal Joined the Exhibition:
Fans might think it’s all about money when they hear that each player got $1.5 million just for showing up at the Six Kings Slam. Jannik Sinner pocketed an incredible $6 million by winning only three matches! Another reason for Nadal’s participation is his role as a tennis ambassador for Saudi Arabia—a position likely offering substantial financial perks.
However, this decision sparked debate because of Saudi Arabia’s human rights issues. Despite some progress in women’s rights recently, equality remains elusive and homosexuality is illegal there. Yet Nadal believes his presence brings more good than bad; Matteo Berrettini has also taken on an ambassador role with Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund.
The WTA Finals were held in Riyadh too despite criticism from legends like Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert; Coco Gauff triumphed over Qinwen Zheng to claim victory .
This year’s Next Gen ATP Finals will run from December 18th to 22nd featuring Arthur Fils among others—expect thrilling matches! Fans are excited about seeing these young talents shine on court!
In a social media video by Saudi Tennis Federation , Nadal confirmed he’d be attending as part of his ambassador duties—his presence could mean more tickets sold!
“Hello,” said Rafa himself: “Just one more week until the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah… See you there.” What do you think about all this?
