Rafael Nadal spent time on skis this week for the first time in 26 years, sharing a winter outing with his wife Maria Francisca Perello and their 3-year-old son, Rafa Jr., at Baqueira Beret in the Catalan Pyrenees. The player behind the tennis academy that bears his name in Mallorca said the experience felt special after decades focused on managing an injury-prone body in his career. Nadal called it an “incredible feeling” to ski for the first time since his early teens.

During the trip he took a lesson guiding his eldest son and paused to build a snowman. An adorable video posted by Nadal showed little Rafa Jr. appearing at ease on the slopes, though Nadal indicated he would prefer professional guidance and invited suggestions on social media. “We’re still learning … any advice for us?” he asked, tagging American Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn replied, “We have to ski together when I’m healthy!” Vonn, 41, suffered a complex fracture of her tibia after a crash at the recently-concluded Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and required three surgeries to correct the injury.

Nadal, 39, played the final match of his tennis career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals after seasons affected by foot and hip injuries, the hip issue requiring surgery. He also underwent surgery in January for severe osteoarthritis in his right hand. Since stepping away from professional competition he has remained active, including time on the golf course with longtime rival Roger Federer and a practice session with academy alumna Alexandra Eala.

Although the academy carries his name, Nadal has been noncommittal about coaching future champions on the court. For now, his winter trip made clear that other sports, and sharing those moments with his family, have an important place in his life after competitive tennis.

Hundreds gathered to honor Nicola Pietrangeli days after the tennis great died at age 92. A public viewing of his body and a brief memorial service were held at the Pallacorda court that now bears his name. A private funeral followed later in Rome.

The statue-lined court at the Foro Italico, renamed Stadio Pietrangeli in 2006, served as the setting. Two tennis rackets and the Davis Cup Italy won in 1976 under Pietrangeli’s captaincy were placed beside the coffin, which was decorated in blue and white flowers. A large screen showed images from his career while music by Charles Aznavour played.

“My Way,” by Frank Sinatra, was played at the end of the memorial service before the coffin was moved from the court to the church for the funeral. “Everything just as he wanted, the place and the music,” said his son Marco.

Prominent figures of Italian sport attended the public ceremony, including the former and current president of the Italian national Olympic committee and the head of the Italian tennis federation. Longtime friends and former teammates were present as well: Adriano Panatta and Tonino Zugarelli, who won the Davis Cup with Pietrangeli, and other former players including Fabio Fognini, who retired earlier this year.

Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the funeral at the Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio in Rome and offered his recollection: “I knew him for many years,” he said. “He was a splendid man. I really wanted to be here also for his family, I am very emotional. He was always there in the most important moments of my life.”

Despite the broad turnout, current Italian players were noticeably absent, with particular attention on the absence of Jannik Sinner. The memorial at the court that carries his name offered a public farewell in a place closely associated with Pietrangeli’s legacy.

“You can never lose if you give it all, what you have in your heart.” Flavio Cobolli offered that line after a match that became the emotional centerpiece of the Davis Cup Final in Bologna. The 22nd-ranked Cobolli edged Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (15) in a contest decided by a 32-point deciding tiebreak and a 98-minute third set.

“It’s a combination of really, really enjoying being out there, as well as feeling so much love for your team and for the fans that I hear, dealing with a very difficult crowd,” Bergs said after the match. “All those combinations make it a very emotional one. At least I’m really happy that I enjoyed myself out there.”

The match carried the raw stakes Davis Cup is known for. With Italy up 1-0 and many of the sport’s biggest names already on break from the season, this encounter gave two rising players an arena-sized moment. The crowd pushed the noise to its limit as the two similarly built baseliners exchanged long, intense rallies. Bergs’ backward hat and stamp-like gait drew comparisons to gritty competitors of the past.

Bergs pushed the tiebreak into extended territory, at times converting match points and at others seeing chances slip away. He led at several junctures in the breaker, only to see Cobolli rally back with retrievals, a net attack and a finishing smash. Cobolli saved seven match points; Bergs saved six. “There were so many important points,” Bergs said. “In those moments you’re going to fail, you’re going to do right things. Even if you do the right thing sometimes, doesn’t mean you’re going to get rewarded.” He added, “I was just laughing so many times on court,” he said, “realizing what crazy points we’re doing in a crazy atmosphere.”

Matteo Berrettini watched the drama with visible nerves. Cobolli and Berrettini went on to combine to sweep all six singles matches they contested in Bologna. Two days later the 23-year-old Cobolli clinched the Cup with another epic against Jaume Munar. When he celebrated in the stands by tearing his shirt, Cobolli later shrugged off suggestions he was imitating Novak Djokovic. “Today I felt like I was trying to be like Hulk,” he said with a laugh.