The presentation of Spin&Swing by Cantabria Labs, held at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, also served as an opportunity to hear Rafa Nadal speak naturally about his relationship with golf, a sport that has gained significance in his life in recent years. A true lover of this sport.
Beyond the announcement of the new circuit —in which Nadal will participate as a player, although he will not be able to compete in the first event due to injury—, the former tennis player shared how his connection with golf began. He acknowledges it was by chance, or rather by misfortune, as it was closely linked to the injuries he suffered during his professional career: “The first thing that hooked me was the inability to do other things due to my foot injury. Golf helped me disconnect in beautiful natural settings and also to gather with the people I love, because you can talk while competing.” From a bad situation, great good can come, as the popular saying goes.
Inevitably, the question arose about a possible foray into professional golf, just as other great stars like Stephen Curry have done, who participated in a Korn Ferry Tour tournament. He hasn’t denied it, the door remains open, although he acknowledges that it’s not something that could happen in the short term. Nadal admitted to receiving invitations, but he was also clear: “I’ve received several, but I suffered a lot as a tennis player, so if it’s to suffer, no,” he said with a laugh. “If one day I’m good enough not to make a fool of myself, I would consider it. I appreciate the invitations, but I need to be able to compete with certain guarantees.” The competitive spirit runs in his veins, even when saying no.
Nadal also confessed that he follows golf regularly, even weekly, although he acknowledged that the coexistence of different tours complicates following it: “My wife is the one who suffers,” he said with a laugh, making it clear that he watches a lot of competitions: “I follow golf weekly. For example, this past week, I watched Jon Rahm’s spectacular finish in Riyadh and Scottie Scheffler’s near comeback in Phoenix.”
Regarding Spanish golf, Nadal assured that he follows many players beyond Rahm. He mentioned Sergio García and focused on the new generation, highlighting Ángel Ayora: “He is making great strides, I’ve seen him play and he has a spectacular swing.”
Finally, when asked about the presentation venue, Nadal recalled a particularly significant experience at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, where he played in 2006 alongside Seve Ballesteros: “It was an unforgettable experience.” There’s a story to uncover there.
