~Unemployed Record November 20, 2024 (Wednesday)~ Rafael Nadal Retires

<From my diary/activities on this day one year ago>

Three consecutive days of part-time work.
Working from Monday to Wednesday seems to be becoming my regular schedule.

And, Rafael Nadal has retired.
The Spanish team was defeated by the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Finals quarterfinals, which sealed Nadal's retirement.

In terms of reputation, seeding, and depth, Spain was overwhelming.
Even if they lost Nadal's singles match out of the three, Spain had world No. 2 Alcaraz, and Granollers, who had previously won the ATP Finals, was ready for the doubles.

It was safe to say they were rock solid.

Even so, that is not what decides the outcome in tennis. Or rather, in sports and everything else for that matter.

Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
And will I continue to watch the tennis world without Rafael Nadal?

<Things I remember, thoughts, and tangents>

Even now, I still watch tennis itself.
But there are more times when I don't feel the same passion.

This year (2025), I am even watching the pinnacle of ATP tennis, the ATP Finals, on catch-up.
There was an external factor where I had errands the next day and couldn't watch it live at 2 AM, but even if I didn't have errands, I probably wouldn't have watched it.

The following is a memo I left around November 27, 2024, following Nadal's retirement.
It's long for a memo, though.

I was also deeply affected by the retirement of Rafael Nadal,
who met his 'death as an athlete.'

I am more of a fan of Federer, Nadal's greatest rival, but
if I were asked, 'What triggered your passion for tennis?', it wasn't Federer, but
Rafael Nadal himself.

I was in my second year of junior high school when my tennis club coach changed,
and the laid-back, easygoing tennis club from the previous year changed.
Run, run, run. Hit, hit, hit.

Since the internet wasn't as convenient as it is now, in order to keep up,
I sought information from tennis magazines as a tennis expert.

At the time, there were (I believe) five tennis magazines,
and the first one I bought was the one in the photo, 'Tennis Journal / June 2006 issue'.
The cover featured Nadal pumping his fist intensely.

It was a shock to me, as I had been instilled with the idea that tennis is a gentleman's sport and intense gestures are rude to the opponent(?),
and I remember thinking, 'It is a sport after all. Of course he's going to pump his fist,' and feeling ashamed of my own ignorance/prejudice.
I feel like it also became the foundation for my attitude of watching and thinking about everything for myself.
After that, until it was renewed in mid-2007, I went to the now-defunct TSUTAYA every month to buy Tennis Journal.

A subscription/annual fee of about 8,000 yen seemed like a huge amount of money to me at the time, so I couldn't consult my parents and went every month, hoping it wouldn't be sold out.
You can properly express happy emotions.

And as a 'legitimate means' too.
Both for yourself and your opponent.
One-on-one. Anytime between points.
That's why I think I love tennis after all.
I suppose I also love watching professional matches,

where they show that with the best preparation in the world.
Regarding Djokovic, who was once world number one and was deported from Australia for not being vaccinated against COVID-19,

Nadal said something to the effect of,
'I understand his point. However, no player is greater than the tournament itself.'
From now on, a tennis world without Nadal, Federer, or Murray begins.

But tennis and life go on.
Come to think of it, last week, I watched the Keio Challenger tournament and found a player named Benjamin Hassan (Lebanon, ranked 232nd)

who plays in a cool way.
You can find 'replacements.'
But I was reminded once again that there is no replacement for 'greatness.'
Upon his retirement, I was reminded of his various words,

and I couldn't stop flipping through old magazines.
Nadal, I wish you a good life ahead.

Greatness. It Only Takes Everything | Rafael Nadal | Nike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0xbNUMZCvk

The reason I started to see tennis as 'something interesting' rather than something I was forced to do as a club activity might be because of the existence of Rafael Nadal.

If it had only been Roger Federer (even though I was a fan),
it might have ended with just 'what beautiful tennis.'

Rafael Nadal.
I was lucky to have been able to start tennis in the era he was in.