Rafa Nadal explains why he "doesn't miss tennis at all"

Rafa Nadal put away his racket last year, aged 38, ending one of the most successful tennis careers of all-time, including winning 22 Grand Slams, two Gold Olympic Medals, and five Davis Cup. Earlier this week, he received a special tribute at the 25th edition of the Laureus Awards in Madrid, receiving the Sporting Icon Award.

There, he was asked whether he misses tennis, and he has a very clear answer. "I don't miss tennis. In fact, I don't miss it at all. Not because I was tired or at odds with it. Not at all. I ended up happy, and if I could have continued playing, I would have because I loved it."

"But when you realise you can't, that's when you close the gap. It took me the time I needed to make the decision because I needed time to see if it was the right one. Sitting on my couch at home thinking about playing would have bothered me", Nadal said (via EFE).

The 38-year-old Manacorí explained that he took his time realised that if his tennis was good enough to compete. "When I realised that I didn't, I took the decision to stop. That's why I don't miss it, because I know with the peace of mind of knowing I gave it my all and my body couldn't take any more. Now I follow tennis, I watch the matches that interest me, but just like the rest of the sport."

Nadal also became the first athlete to win awards for Sportsman of the Year, the Comeback of the Year, Breakthrough of the Year, and the Laureus Sport for Good Award.