Rafael Nadal tried his hand at a new sport after withdrawing from the US Open by sailing on Lake Como. The experienced Spaniard was initially on the entry list but later withdrew after realising he was not able to perform at his best.

Nadal is currently in Italy to take part in the fifth race of the inaugural E1 Series, the world’s first all-electric powerboat series. He is one of several celebrity supporters, including Tom Brady, Will Smith, Didier Drogba and Virat Kohli.

Nadal jumped into a powerboat with Smith for a special drag race and managed to beat him and win, despite the actor making a late comeback. In a video posted to Instagram, Nadal appeared focused in the cockpit as he steered his boat across the finish line in style.

E1 is the world’s first and only all-electric racing boat championship and is officially sanctioned by UIM, the World Powerboating Federation. The participants aim to drive sustainable change and make a positive impact on mobility at sea using clean technologies.

The mission of the unique series is also to support local communities through projects aimed at restoring marine ecosystems along the coasts of coastal cities.

In a press release, Nadal said: “As a professional athlete, I am aware of the positive impact that small steps have on improving performance. The fact that E1 is applying the same competitive spirit and approach to optimise performance and efficiency in sustainable marine mobility is good news for our oceans.”

Nadal had previously announced that he would skip the US Open to rest and recover after a busy summer period. He reached the final of the Swedish Open before competing in the men’s singles and men’s doubles at the Olympics, where he was partnered with reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal is widely expected to hang up his tennis racket in the near future, but he recently stressed that he is in no hurry to finalise his retirement plans.

“I’m not in a hurry to make a decision about my future,” he said. “What is certain is that I will take part in the Laver Cup and then we’ll see. I can’t think about it (retirement) all day long.”

“I come here and you ask me the same thing every day. In the end, it’s very difficult to get back to my best when I’m thinking about whether to retire or not.”