INTERVIEW: Rafa Nadal: "I thought that I would be retired by this age"

Rafael Nadal won his 11th French Open title last weekend by beating Dominic Thiem in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win, but there will not be much time to relax as he looks to begin his preparation for the grass surface of Wimbledon, a tournament he has not won since 2010.

Astonishingly, the 32-year-old Nadal has won 11 of the past 14 tournaments at Roland Garros and while the other members of the 'Big Four' - Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray - have a wife and children, the current No. 1 is happy to keep doing focusing on the court. 

"I have a commitment to what makes me happy," Nadal told MARCA.

"My life leads me to live things one way, or to do things another. I also have a partner and it is not just me who decides things. 

"You have to adapt to the situations that are happening. I enjoy what I love in tennis, as well as outside of it.

"A family? I don't know; things are not so easy to foresee. At this age, I thought I would be retired and would have a family.

"To me I think I see a more structured family with a more stable life and that is what I would have liked.

"The years are going on but it depends on what happens with my tennis and with my career; there will come a time when a decision must be made and when it arrives, it will come without any kind of stress.

"These are natural things that you go through in life."

Despite his high level of success, the Mallorca-born player has always remained very down to earth and humble when discussing his achievements.

"I would say that I am an ordinary person who has done something difficult or very difficult [to win the French Open 11 times]," he continued.

"This is the reality; things happen from day-to-day. In most of the games I went out to play here in Paris, I went out onto the court thinking that I could win or I could lose and this is the truth.

"I have won 86 of the 88 games I have played, and maybe in 75 of those, I have gone out thinking that I could win or I could lose - I think this is part of the basis of my success."

The world of tennis has been surprised that Nadal and Federer have returned to dominating once again, with the two rivals having won the last six Grand Slam titles.

"I was surprised because in 2017, I had not won in two years and he had not won a big title since 2012," said Nadal.

"Of course, it is surprising because we are advancing with age.

"When you have been without winning for so long, you don't know if you will ever be able to replicate your previous success."

Federer currently has 20 Grand Slam titles, with Nadal on 17, but the Spaniard is very content with his success.

"Obviously I would like to have 20 like Federer, or more, but right now it is not in my head," he stated.

"17 is an incredible number; I want to enjoy the moment. I can't think of winning anymore, I can't go crazy with that.

"You can't go crazy if someone has more titles, more money, more houses..."

When asked about whether Nadal would play on the grass surface of Wimbledon, he was a little coy.

"I can't think when I will have the first training session because this year I have played almost every game on clay," he said.

"Last year I thought I could go far at Wimbledon [Nadal lost in the fourth round to Gilles Muller]. The decision will be whatever is best for my body."

Source: MARCA