Biography of Rafael Nadal | Young Spanish tennis

With only 22 years young Spanish tennis player has become the number 1 in the world, putting an end to the Federer era.

Only the sport allows a guy uniquely equipped for your practice, just transferred adolescence, to achieve international glory in his specialty and accumulate a million-dollar fortune. It is the case of the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, professional since age 15, which already ranked second worldwide in the ranking of the Association of tennis Professional (ATP) in its 19 and that, 22 years old, has become the world's no. 1.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal Parera was born on June 3, 1986 in the Majorcan town of Manacor, where the Nadal form a family rooted in the island since the 14th century. The Patriarch of the saga is called as his grandson, Rafael, and is a great fan of music who directs the Orchestra of the city. He is the son of Sebastián Nadal, director of a company that builds paddle and organizes sports events, and Ana María Parera, and has a sister, Isabel, his most enthusiastic fan. It was his uncle Antonio, Toni, who meant it along the path of tennis, to become their coach and representative.

A young talent

While the child was given better racket (four years after Toni practiced with him several hours a day) to football (not in vain was proclaimed champion child of Spain at age eleven and the world to fourteen), attracted by the wake of another uncle, the international footballer Miquel Àngel Nadal, increasingly by the football is enthusiastic. Toni cut root this indecision and ordered him to drop out of school at 4th of that to devote himself exclusively to tennis, to maternal disgust: "Rafa became professional too soon. At the beginning I took it very badly, but I finally understood that it was impossible to combine studies with his career."

He entered the ATP at the end of 2001 in the 818 post. He was only fifteen years old and already belonged to the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. However, he did not play his first professional until 29 April 2002 party at the Mallorca Open, defeating the Paraguayan Ramon Delgado.

Nadal in Conde de Godó (2006)

It should debut at Roland Garros in 2003, but an elbow injury thwarted his desire. The following year, a fissure in the scaphoid's left foot, which kept him on crutches from April to July, also prevented him from the tournament. Then a specific injury prevention plan was designed "so that they aflorasen all the physical qualities of tennis, which are genetic", said Angel Ruiz-Coto. This doctor of the Federation initiated the collaboration with Nadal family and physical preparer of the player, Joan Forcades, with an average of three annual checks. The doctor said, after the first test: "It has the strength of a marathon, but, at the same time, it is explosive".

The last half of 2004 was especially hard: in the process of recovery of the rhythm of the competition only managed to win the tournament in Sopot (Poland). But he finished the season, becoming the youngest player to win the Davis Cup. Nadal defeated American Andy Roddick, and his friend and mentor Carlos Moyá topped the slaughter, with what Spain could award is the second Davis Cup in its history.

Roland Garros champion

Despite being a debutante, in 2005 he presented in Paris as favourite in the bets. Not in vain until that date, from January to June, had won five titles from renowned on clay: Costa de Sauipe (Brazil), Acapulco, the Masters Series of Monte Carlo, the trofeo Conde de Godo and the Masters Series of Rome, a feat that, in a season, and at that age, only Andre Agassi had achieved in 1988. In number of titles from the 2005 season only it was ahead you in one the number one world, the Swiss Roger Federer, who, however, defeated at Roland Garros semi-final, precisely June 3, the day of the birthday of Nadal.

In the end, not without certain troubles, Nadal defeated in four sets to Argentina's Mariano gate, which had carried out a flawless tournament. He handed the trophy, in the presence of King Juan Carlos, his football Idol, Zinédine Zidane, while his family is Barça, Rafa is a supporter of Real Madrid.

Rafa kisses his first Roland Garros (2005)

That triumph became the second debutant winning at Roland Garros, after the Swede Mats Wilander, who got it in 1982 with only seventeen years. And, above all, it rose to unsuspected limits his popularity and charisma, to the extent that, a month later, the sponsor company Havas Sport said in its bi-monthly survey that tennis player had become the most popular athlete from Spain, moving the pilot Fernando Alonso in the first position and the second footballer David Beckham. If outside of the United States Tennis Association (United States Tennis Association USTA), announced that it would promote its summer tournaments with the emphasis on the image of Nadal, qualified as the "boy wonder", nickname also associated with Michael Phelps swimming star.

For its part, Nike spokesman, the firm sponsoring him, declared that he wanted to become the Tiger Woods of tennis to Nadal, and he was willing to give a blank check to upgrade you contract that had since the age of 16 to become the icon of the multinational in the tennis field. It was the first time that a tennis player occupied that privileged position of popularity in Spain. The truth was that Alonso, Dani Pedrosa and Nadal were changing the trend of young Spanish fans whose idols focused until recently in the world of football.

To number 1

Victory in the Grand Slam tournament Nadal clinched to the third position in the ATP rankings, behind Federer and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who is open-air in the final of the tournament of Wimbledon with victory of the Swiss, after Nadal falling at the first hurdle. In addition, became the first Spanish that went into the top ten with only nineteen and chained 24 consecutive victories on clay.

His goal was to get to number one, while recognizing that before it had an almost insurmountable wall, the Swiss Federer, who, according to the experts, was destined to become the best tennis player of all time. That ambition was good, but his uncle Toni wouldn't let that she is rise the fumes to the head and, after his victory at Roland Garros, warned him: "your level of play is not yet perfect; you're a good player, but you must still confirm that you will be one of the greats." By suddenly in July 2005 it won in Bastad (Sweden) and in Stuttgart (Germany), and it added 34 consecutive wins on clay, and in October added his 11th title of the year (won also in Montreal and Beijing) to impose at the Masters Series in Madrid.

Roger Federer and Nadal in Rome (2006)

In March 2006, shortly after reappearing after an injury that had kept him inactive for four months, achieved his first title of the year in Dubai. It subsequently revalidated success in the Masters Series of Monte Carlo, in Barcelona, in the Masters Series of Rome and Roland Garros. To be done with his second triumph in Paris, beat Swedish Robin Soderling, American Kevin Kim, French Paul-Henri Mathieu, the Australian Lleyton Hewitt, Serbian Novak Djokovic, to Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, and in the final, Federer (1-6, 6-1, 6-4 and 7-6).

This last game marked a new chapter in the duel which Nadal and Swiss tennis player maintained by the global primacy and which, this year, it had opted clearly on the side of the Spanish (his victories in these tournaments of United Arab Emirates, Monaco, and Italy also had materialized in their respective finals to Federer). Nadal got a major record in France: on 29 may, to beat Soderling, its fifty fourth party consecutive win on clay, surpassing the figure of 53 matches unbeaten on this surface which, since 1977, the Argentine Guillermo Vilas had (Nadal not would be defeated on land whipped until the 20 of May 2007, when it fell in the final of the Masters Series in Hamburg to Federer (, after a series of 81 matches victorious on said floor). Shortly thereafter, Nadal had an exceptional performance in the Wimbledon tournament; He was a finalist, but this time Federer prevented him from bidding for the triumph. In the year 2006, was awarded her country the Gold Medal of the Royal order of sports merit.

In the first half of 2007, won the Masters Series of Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, and, for the third year in a row, the Conde de Godó in Barcelona, the Masters Series of Rome and Roland Garros. He reached his third Paris Crown showing a remarkable mastery over successive rivals: Argentine Juan Martín de el Potro, Italian Flavio Cipolla, the Spanish Albert Montañés, Hewitt, Moya, Djokovic and Federer, who Nadal defeated again in the finals with a score of 6-3, 4-6 (only set the Spanish ceded in the tournament), 6-3 and 6-4. Shortly after, and as happened last season, both repeated final at Wimbledon, with victory for the Swiss. During the year 2007, Nadal also won the Stuttgart tournament. Ended the year, once again, in the second position in the ATP rankings.

Receiving the Gold Medal of Madrid (2007)

The year 2008 will be remembered as his number 1. He began in bad shape, but poor performance also showed Federer at that time made feasible the dream goal. He won for the fourth time two tournaments: the Masters of Monte Carlo and the Conde de Godó, and defeated Federer twice in two consecutive finals: the Hamburg Master Series and the Roland Garros. He earned victories at the Queen's Club London and again defeated Federer in the Wimbledon final, in a match that lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes, and that it has been considered the best in the history of tennis. And a new triumph in the Canada Masters made it, finally, the best player in the world according to the ATP ranking.

His self-confidence, his confidence in himself, not giving never no points lost, their extraordinary strength and perseverance are some of the keys of your unstoppable success. The strict discipline imposed by his uncle does not prevent you from practicing his major hobbies: computer games, Formula 1, music (Bon Jovi, Mana, Brian Adams...), golf, and especially fishing. Within the track projected an image that brings you so many benefits in advertising contracts as that gives their profession. It looks shirts sleeveless leaving bare solid muscles, and pirate pants, the first of that design that wore a tennis player on the pitch.

 

Chronology of Rafael Nadal

1986	It was born in Manacor, Mallorca.
2002	Leave the studies to dedicate himself exclusively to tennis, practiced since 4 years by the hand of his uncle and coach, Toni Nadal. It plays its first game as a professional in the Mallorca Open.
2003	He made his debut in two tournaments in Grand Slams (Wimbledon and the Open in the United States), but injuries to slow down its progression.
2004	After defeating Andy Roddick in the final against the United States, becomes the youngest player to win the Davis Cup. He won the Sopot tournament.
2005	It is devoted to getting his first Roland Garros, after defeating Roger Federer in the semifinal. Win besides other ten tournaments and reached the second position in the ATP rankings.
2006	After recovering from an injury, he won the Roland Garros and reached the final of Wimbledon, in which cae Federer.
2007	Repeats the history at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Win six tournaments in total.
2008	WINS his fourth Roland Garros and, for the first time at Wimbledon, defeating both Federer in the final. He becomes the best player in the world according to the ATP ranking in August.

Rafael Nadal in the Cincinnati tournament (2008)

Palmares of Rafael Nadal

Impressive palmares of the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal includes, at age 22, a total of 34 individual titles: five tournaments of Grand Slam, twelve ATP Masters Series and thirteen ATP Tour tournaments.

Grand Slam tournaments

• Roland Garros: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Wimbledon: 2008

Tournaments ATP Masters Series

• Monte Carlo: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Rome: 2005, 2006, 2007
• Montreal: 2005
• Madrid: 2005
• Indian Wells: 2007
• Hamburg: 2008
• Toronto: 2008

Tournament ATP Tour

• Sopot: 2004
• Costa de Sauipe: 2005
• Acapulco: 2005
• Conde de Godó (Barcelona): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Bastad: 2005
• Stuttgart: 2005, 2007
• China Open (Beijing): 2005
• Dubai: 2006
• London Queen's Club: 2008

Davis Cup

In 2004 he was part of the Spanish team that won the Davis Cup. Spain defeated United States (3-2) in the final, where Nadal beat Andy Roddick.

Rafael Nadal lifting the trophy in Dubai (2006)

Double

To this must be added double-Umag (2003, with Álex López) ATP Tour tournaments, Chennai (2004, with Tommy Robredo) and Doha (2005, with Albert Costa). His last win in doubles was the ATP Masters Series of Monte Carlo (2008, with Tommy Robredo).

ATP rankings

He held the second position in the ATP rankings since July 25, 2005 to August 4, 2008, the date on which went on to become the number 1.

Extracted from the website: Biografías y Vidas