Growing up as a sports prodigy in Spain’s Majorca island, the current World Number 2 of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Rafael Nadal never thought that he would change the game of tennis, forever. All he ever asked during his younger years was for a shot at the French Open title. In hindsight, quite a humble ambition for someone who has since secured 13 French Open titles throughout an illustrious career that continues to flourish today.
It’s a bit difficult to stay humble, though, especially when you’ve just been named the Laureus Sportsman Of The Year for 2021 after reaching the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open on the same day, not to mention having earned the distinction twice already (the first being awarded in 2011). Nadal’s star doesn’t seem like it’s fading, either, despite turning 35 next month. After winning the French Open in 2020 to make it his fourth consecutive win (after recording five straight titles from 2010-2014), and matching the 20th grand slam of Roger Federer, Nadal is making tennis history that’s truly worthy of books and documentaries for other aspirants to learn from.
Torn between two sports
With almost 20 years in the competitive circuit, Nadal’s commitment to tennis remains one of the most inspiring ones to date. But getting to the peak of the pedestal was not an easy climb for the Spaniard who fell in love with two sports when he was younger.
Born in Manacor in Majorca, Spain, Nadal first fell in love with football, perhaps because of his uncle Miguel who wore the RCD Mallorca, FC Barcelona, and Spanish national colors during his heyday. Growing up, Nadal idolized Brazillian striker Ronaldo and his love for the sport even took him to several live games as a young fan. This penchant for sport is what later motivated the young Nadal to pursue his training for both football and tennis, simultaneously.
However, ending up as the tennis great that he is can be traced back to another uncle named Toni, who served as his tennis coach. Noticing the young athlete’s grace and agility, Toni took the young Nadal under his wing when he was just three years old.
By age eight, Nadal started hinting at the makings of a prodigy after winning his first title, an under-12 regional tennis championship all while still playing football. Nurturing his potential, Toni intensified his training while teaching him to shift the racket to his left hand which unleashed the more powerful strokes, despite not being a natural southpaw (this would later be questioned by Federer in a lighthearted manner during one of his Instagram Live feeds).
After winning Spanish and European titles at age 12, Nadal was certain that tennis was the sport worth pursuing and finally gave up his football training. By this time, Nadal had been turning heads already with offers of more prestigious training facilities in Barcelona and abroad, which his Uncle Toni later declined stating that the young superstar could hone his skills at home in Majorca. And so he did. In 2001, a 16-year old Nadal entered into an exhibition match against former ATP Singles No. 4 and Grand Slam champion Pat Cash, who he defeated on a clay court.
Changing the game
The humble Nadal always said that his only goal was to win a French Open title when he was first breaking out as a tennis star. In interviews, he has told his fans that by the better part of 2017, he might be fishing the Majorca waters instead of playing tennis. But as fate would have it, his innate hard-working and resilient spirit prevailed throughout his career.
Nadal won his first-ever title at the 2005 French Open against Mariano Rubén Puerta of Argentina via a 6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 score. The following year, he won the French Open titles for four consecutive years, along with his first Wimbledon Men’s Singles championship in 2008 against then five-time defending champion and world number 1 Roger Federer at 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7.
And just like that, a new tennis star was born who would regularly face off with another pillar of the sport, Swiss champion Roger Federer, in what would become some of the most epic matches in tennis history.
The Nadal-Federer saga
Time and time again, we have seen classic tennis duels. There was Bjorn Borg versus John McEnroe; Monica Seles v. Steffi Graf; and Chris Evert v. Martina Navratilova, among many others.
However, nothing so scintillating comes close to how Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (currently ranked at number 8 by the ATP) continue to battle it out for the title of ‘best tennis player of all time’.
For nearly two decades, these two giants have shown the world the greatest matches in the sport’s history while also staying close friends and rivals who hold the highest esteem for one another. Having played against each other a whopping 40 times, Nadal leads the duel 24-16 at present, with only the Wimbledon titles having it for Federer at 3-1. Both have not faced each other yet at the US Open, at least not yet.
The two first met in March of 2004 during the third round of the Miami Masters where a 17-year-old Nadal defeated the current number 1 in straight sets. The following year, Federer redeemed himself in Miami but only to be defeated again two months later at the French Open, as Nadal went on to win that year’s title.
Throughout the years, a series of back-and-forths went on between the two, with 40 singles matches, four doubles, and as a pair at the Laver Cup in 2017 where they defeated the American tandem of Sam Querrey and Jack Sock 6–4, 1–6, [10–5].
Most fans will pinpoint Nadal and Federer’s nine Grand Slam tournament final matches, particularly at Wimbledon and the French Open from 2006 to 2008, with the younger Nadal winning four titles to two. However, many tennis pundits consider the 2008 Wimbledon finals as the greatest match in tennis history.
Rafael Nadal continues to live with his sister Maria Isabel and wife María Francisca (Mery) Perelló Pascual in Majorca.
He enjoys watching anime and playing golf and poker in his spare time. He recently participated in the Balearic Golf Championships last year, which earned him a spot in the World Amateur ranks.
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