Rafael Nadal teases "big" development in Madrid soon

Rafael Nadal has stirred some excitement among fans after dropping hints at a possible development in Madrid. The Spaniard was supposedly talking about his latest collaboration with Kia Motors.

Nadal has been the Global Ambassador for the South Korean automobile manufacturers since 2004. He has been a significant presence in the company's exhibitions and product launches over the years.

Taking to social media on Monday, October 16, Kia tagged the Spaniard and hinted to the fans about something "big" dropping on the 18th.

"Hey, @RafaelNadal, see you on October 18th - something big is coming," their tweet read.

Nadal responded to that by saying:

"Yeap… looking forward to it… Madrid?"

The Spaniard announced a partnership extension with Kia Motors for a period of five years in 2020. With the renewed collaboration set to last until 2025, Nadal will complete a 20-year partnership with the company.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has always been enthusiastic about automobiles. Last year, he added Kia's EV6 GT to his breathtaking car collection. He also owns the Korean giants' Stinger, a high-performance sports car launched in 2017.

Apart from these, the Aston Martin DBS, Ferrari 458 Italia, Mercedes Benz AMG GT-S, and Mercedes Benz AMG SL55 are some of the other popular vehicles that are part of the former World No. 1's collection.

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Rafael Nadal likely to retire at 2024 French Open, says tennis journalist

The Spaniard addresses the media at the 2023 Australian Open

Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim recently suggested that Rafael Nadal will call time on his career at the 2024 French Open.

Nadal has been sidelined for more than nine months since picking up a hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open. There have been conflicting rumors around the Spaniard's return to tour at the Melbourne Major next year.

Wertheim opined that the Spaniard would find it tough to regain his peak form on his comeback, with the claycourt Major likely to mark his farewell.

"He can come back but if he can’t come back at peak, who’s going to be favorite to win Roland Garros... he has always obviously loved the European clay. I could see him playing a highly abbreviated schedule… Barcelona, Madrid, maybe throw in Monte Carlo, and calling it a career at Roland Garros 2024," Wertheim said.

However, Wertheim maintained that the 14-time French Open champion will aim for a strong conclusion despite not being a favorite to win titles.

"Even if he is not really a contender to win titles, my sense is he's going to give this thing one more shot. If that means being a 70% Rafa [who] can still go and get a send-off and have a final sort of savor, and give fans one last memory... I think he's ready to do that," he added.