The world of sports has been shocked after Rafael Nadal’s most intimate revelation. The legendary Spanish tennis player, known for his humility and mental strength, recently confessed that he experienced one of the hardest moments of his personal and professional life when his wife, Mery Perelló, was pregnant. According to close sources, during that period Nike – its main sponsor for more than a decade – would have triedreduce your advertising rate by 70%, arguing that Nadal “was already past his prime” and that he should “focus on his wife.”
This alleged attitude of the brand caused outrage among the followers of the Mallorcan champion. But what was most impactful was the continuation of his story. Nadal confessed that at that same timefaced a serious illness, which he kept secret so as not to affect his image or worry those around him. The situation worsened to the point that his wife had togive birth prematurely to her third child, in the midst of an environment of great family and media tension.
“It was a terrible stage, where I felt that tennis no longer mattered. I just wanted my family to be well,” Nadal reportedly said in an exclusive interview. The sincerity of his words generated a wave of global empathy. Thousands of messages of support flooded social networks, while hashtags#RafaForcey#BoicotNikeThey became a global trend.
Faced with the growing scandal, the president of Nike tried to calm the situation by ensuring that “the relationship with Nadal was always one of mutual respect and admiration.” However, the statements failed to stop the avalanche of criticism. Fans and many sports figures felt that the company had shown a lack of humanity to one of the greatest athletes of all time.
But the episode took an even more surprising turn. In an act that mixed pride and determination,Rafael Nadal announced that he will launch his own brand of sports shoes, designed in collaboration with a Spanish textile innovation team. According to sources close to the project, the brand—which could be called “RN23”—is looking forcombine sustainability, performance and elegance, three values that define the champion’s career.
The announcement was received as a declaration of independence from large sports corporations. Many already describe this decision as “the turning point of his legacy.” Nadal not only reinvents himself off the court, but also shows thattrue greatness is not measured by contracts, but by principles.
Nike, for its part, could face a significant loss of image and sales if the boycott continues. Meanwhile, the world waits with anticipation for the official launch of Nadal’s new brand, which promises to mark a before and after in the history of sport and marketing.
