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Rafael Nadal

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"Nadal" redirects here. For other people, see Nadal (surname).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Nadal and the second or maternal family name is Parera.

Rafael Nadal
Nadal during a practice session at the 2015 Aegon Championships
Full nameRafael Nadal Parera
Country (sports) Spain
ResidenceManacor, Mallorca, Spain
Born (1986-06-03) 3 June 1986 (age 37)
Manacor, Mallorca, Spain
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Turned pro2001
PlaysLeft-handed (two-handed backhand)
CoachCarlos Moyá (2016–)
Marc López (2021–)[2]
Gustavo Marcaccio (2022–)[3]
Prize moneyUS$134,808,161[4] (2nd all-time leader in earnings)
Official websiterafaelnadal.com
Singles
Career record1075–225 (82.7%)[a]
Career titles92 (5th in the Open Era)
Highest rankingNo. 1 (18 August 2008)
Current rankingNo. 275 (27 May 2024)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenW (2009, 2022)
French OpenW (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
WimbledonW (2008, 2010)
US OpenW (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsF (2010, 2013)
Olympic Games (2008)
Doubles
Career record138–76 (64.5% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles11
Highest rankingNo. 26 (8 August 2005)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open3R (2004, 2005)
Wimbledon2R (2005)
US OpenSF (2004)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games (2016)
Team competitions
Davis CupW (2004, 2009, 2011, 2019)[5]
Signature
Medal record
Representing  Spain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Singles
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Doubles
Last updated on: 27 May 2024.

Rafael Nadal Parera[pron 1] (born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player. Nadal has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including a record 14 French Open titles. He has won 92 ATP-level singles titles, including 36 Masters titles and an Olympic gold medal, with 63 of these on clay courts. Nadal is one of only two men to complete the Career Golden Slam in singles.[b] His 81 consecutive wins on clay constitute the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.

For over a decade, Nadal has led men's tennis along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the Big Three.[c] At the start of his professional career, Nadal became one of the most successful teenagers in ATP Tour history, reaching the world No. 2 ranking and winning 16 titles before turning 20, including his first French Open and six Masters events. Nadal became the world No. 1 for the first time in 2008 after defeating Federer in a historic Wimbledon final, his first major victory off clay. He followed up his win with an Olympic singles gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After defeating Djokovic in the 2010 US Open final, then-24-year-old Nadal became the youngest man in the Open Era to achieve the Career Grand Slam, and the first man to win majors on three different surfaces (hard, grass, and clay) in the same year (Surface Slam).

After two injury-plagued seasons, Nadal returned to the Tour in 2013, reaching 14 finals, winning two majors and five Masters events including the US Open Series sweep (Summer Slam). He continued his dominance at the French Open, securing six titles, two US Open titles, an Australian Open title, and an Olympic doubles gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics with Marc López. Nadal surpassed his joint-record with Djokovic and Federer for the most Grand Slam men's singles titles at the 2022 Australian Open, and became one of four men in history to complete the double Career Grand Slam in singles.

As a left-handed player, one of Nadal's main strengths is his forehand, which he hits with a high degree of topspin. He also regularly places among the Tour leaders in percentage of return games, return points, and break points won. Nadal has won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award five times and was the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2011 and 2021. Time named Nadal one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022. He is a recipient of the Grand Cross of Royal Order of Sports Merit, Grand Cross of Order of the Second of May, the Grand Cross of Naval Merit, and the Medal of the City of Paris. Representing Spain, he has won two Olympic gold medals, and led the nation to four Davis Cup titles. Nadal has also opened a tennis academy in Mallorca, and is an active philanthropist.

Early life

Rafael Nadal Parera was born on 3 June 1986 in Manacor, a town on the island of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Spain, to parents Ana María Parera Femenías and Sebastián Nadal Homar.[7] His father is a businessman who owns an insurance company, a glass and window company (Vidres Mallorca), and the restaurant Sa Punta. His mother once owned a perfume shop, but gave it up to raise Nadal and his younger sister, María Isabel.[8] One of his uncles, Miguel Ángel Nadal, is a retired professional footballer who played for RCD Mallorca, FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.[9] As a child, he idolized Barcelona striker Ronaldo, and through his uncle was given access to the Barcelona team dressing room to have a photo taken with the Brazilian.[10] Another of his uncles, tennis coach Toni Nadal, introduced him to that game when he was three years old.[11]

Nadal started to play tennis at the Manacor Tennis Club, where Toni worked as a coach, hitting his first few shots with his uncle.[8][11] Nadal initially found tennis boring compared with football, which he often played on the streets of Manacor with his friends.[8][12] He began to play tennis more consistently when he was five, and Toni quickly realized that his young nephew had both the passion and talent to be a serious player.[11] Nadal usually played tennis in a group, but Toni deliberately picked on him during the sessions, shouting at him rather than the other kids, and making him be the one who picked up the balls and swept the courts afterwards.[8] In his 2011 autobiography, he admitted being afraid of Toni and dreaded having solo practice sessions with him.[13] Nadal even admitted that he would sometimes return home from tennis lessons crying and spoke with his mother about what he was being put through. His father had expressed concern too, but the family decided it was best for Nadal to continue training with his uncle.[14]

At age 8, Nadal won an under-12 regional tennis championship; at the time he was also a promising football player.[8][15] This win inspired Toni to train Nadal more intensively, and his uncle, after studying Nadal's then-two-handed forehand stroke, encouraged him to play left-handed, as it would give him a natural advantage on the tennis court.[15][7] The transition was difficult for Nadal, but Toni helped him make the change, getting him to try it for just 20 minutes per day before gradually increasing that time until he fully adjusted himself to it.[8]

Tennis career

Main article: Career of Rafael Nadal

Nadal began his career with achievements in junior tournaments, winning the Spanish junior championships in 1997 and 1998 and the U12 Junior Masters in Stuttgart, in 1998. By 1999, Nadal was competing in the U14 circuit, winning titles like Tim Essonne and Les Petits As. His early success continued into 2000, culminating in his victory at the U14 Spanish championships and his contribution to Spain's triumph in the ITF World Junior Championship for U14s. Despite offers to train in Barcelona, Nadal's family opted to keep him in Mallorca, where he continued to develop under the mentorship of his uncle Toni and Carlos Moyá.

In 2001, Nadal turned professional at 14, competing primarily in ITF junior events and making his mark on the ATP Tour. He reached the semifinals of the junior singles event at Wimbledon, in 2002, and won his first ATP match in Mallorca. By 2003, Nadal was ascending the ranks, winning his first Challenger title and breaking into the Top 100. He captured his first ATP title in Sopot in 2004 and played a pivotal role in Spain's Davis Cup victory. In 2005, his career skyrocketed as he won 11 singles titles, including his first French Open, defeating Roger Federer in the semifinals. This victory established him as a dominant force on clay, earning him the nickname "King of Clay."

Nadal continued his dominance on clay, winning multiple French Open titles, and became known for his intense rivalry with Federer. In 2008, he claimed his first Wimbledon title in an epic final against Federer, widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in tennis history. That year, Nadal won Olympic gold in singles and secured the No. 1 ranking for the first time. He added his first Australian Open title in 2009, completing a career Grand Slam with his US Open victory in 2010. Despite struggles with injuries, Nadal remained formidable, winning titles, including his record-extending French Open championships.

Nadal overcame injuries and returned to top form, winning his 10th French Open in 2017 and 20th Grand Slam title at the 2020 French Open, tying Federer's record. He continued to compete at a high level, capturing his 21st Grand Slam title at the 2022 Australian Open and his 14th French Open title that same year, setting a new record. Nadal's career has been marked by tenacity and sportsmanship. Despite challenges, he maintained a position among elite players, achieving a milestone by finishing 2022 as the oldest year-end No. 2 player. In 2023, Nadal's career was marred by injuries, leading to his withdrawal from major tournaments and ending his record 912-week streak in the Top 10.

2024: Return to the ATP tour

Nadal began his season at the 2024 Brisbane International, after defeating former 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem 7–5, 6–1. He went on to defeat reigning 2023 Australian Open doubles champion Jason Kubler 6–1, 6–2. His run would be cut short in the quarterfinals after being defeated by Australian Jordan Thompson, who saved three match points against Nadal.[16] During the match, he sustained a muscle injury, which forced him to miss the Australian Open. Nadal played Carlos Alcaraz in the Netflix Slam, a televised exhibition match on March 3, 2024, in Las Vegas.[17]

On May 27, 2024, Nadal would be eliminated from the 2024 French Open after suffering his first ever first round loss to Alexander Zverev.[18]

Rivalries

See also: List of tennis rivalries and Big Three (tennis)

"It's true that with Novak I played more matches than with Roger, but I started it with him (Federer). Someone I have admired, whom I have rivaled and also with whom I have shared many beautiful things on and off the court. A part of my life left with him."

–Nadal, on his rivalry with Roger Federer following his retirement in November 2022.[19]

Nadal vs. Federer

Main article: Federer–Nadal rivalry

Roger Federer and Nadal have been playing each other since 2004, and their rivalry is a significant part of both men's careers.[20][21][22] They held the top two rankings on the ATP Tour from July 2005 to 14 August 2009,[23] and again from 11 September 2017 to 15 October 2018. They are the only pair of men to be consistently ranked in the Top 2 for four years continuously (from July 2005 to August 2009).[24][25] Nadal ascended to No. 2 in July 2005 and held this spot for a record 160 consecutive weeks before surpassing Federer in August 2008.[26] Nadal and Federer are also the only pair of men to have ever finished six consecutive calendar years at the top 2 positions (from 2005 to 2010).[27]

They have played 40 times. Nadal leads 24–16 overall and 10–4 in Grand Slam tournaments. Nadal has a winning record on clay (14–2) and outdoor hard courts (8–6), while Federer leads the indoor hard courts 5–1 and grass 3–1.[28]

As tournament seedings are based on rankings, 24 of their matches have been in tournament finals, including a joint-record nine Grand Slam tournament finals (tied with Djokovic–Nadal).[29] From 2006 to 2008, they played in every French Open and Wimbledon final, and also met in the title match of the 2009 Australian Open, the 2011 French Open and the 2017 Australian Open.[29] Nadal won six of the nine, losing the first two Wimbledon finals. Four of these matches were five-set matches (2007 and 2008 Wimbledon, 2009 and 2017 Australian Open), and the 2008 Wimbledon final has been lauded as the greatest match ever by many long-time tennis analysts.[30][31][32][33] Nadal is the only player who has competed and won against Federer in the final of a Grand Slam on all three surfaces (grass, hard, and clay).

Nadal vs. Djokovic

Main article: Djokovic–Nadal rivalry

Novak Djokovic and Nadal have met 59 times (more than any other pair in the Open Era). Nadal leads 11–7 at Grand Slam events but trails 29–30 overall.[34][35] They have played a record 18 Grand Slam matches and a joint-record nine Grand Slam tournament finals (tied with Nadal–Federer). Nadal leads on clay 20–8, while Djokovic leads on hard courts 20–7, and they are tied on grass 2–2.[34][35] In 2009, this rivalry was listed as the third greatest of the previous 10 years by ATPworldtour.com.[36] Djokovic is one of only two players to have at least ten match wins against Nadal (the other being Federer) and the only person to defeat Nadal seven consecutive times, doing so twice. They have also played in a record 14 ATP Masters finals.

In their first ever meeting in a Grand Slam final at the 2010 US Open Nadal prevailed over Djokovic in four sets. Nadal achieved a Career Grand Slam with this victory.[37] In 2011–12, they played four consecutive major finals against each other, with Djokovic winning the first three, Wimbledon,[38] US Open, and the Australian Open, the latter being the longest Grand Slam final in history at 5 hours and 53 minutes.[39] It remains the longest match of both Nadal and Djokovic's careers, and it also remains the only time that Nadal has lost a major final after winning the first set.[40] In 2013, Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets in the final at Monte Carlo, ending Nadal's record eight consecutive titles there, but Nadal got revenge at the French Open semifinals in an epic five-setter.[41] In August 2013, Nadal defeated Djokovic in the 2013 US Open Final to complete the Summer Slam.[35]

Tennis pundits have classified many of their matches as some of the greatest contests ever, such as 2009 Madrid Masters semifinal,[42] 2011 Miami Masters final,[43][44] the 2012 Australian Open final,[39] the 2013 French Open semifinal,[41] 2018 Wimbledon semifinal,[45] and the 2021 French Open semifinal.[46]

Nadal vs. Murray

Nadal and Andy Murray have met on 24 occasions since 2007, with Nadal leading 17–7.[47] Nadal leads 7–2 on clay, 3–0 on grass, and 7–5 on hard courts (including 4–4 on outdoor courts, but Nadal leads 3–1 on indoor hard courts), but trails 1–3 in finals. The pair once met regularly at Grand Slam level, with nine out of their 23 meetings coming in Grand Slams, with Nadal leading 7–2.[47] Seven of these nine appearances have been in quarterfinals and semifinals, making the rivalry an important part of both men's careers. Nadal defeated Murray in three consecutive Grand Slam semifinals in 2011 from the French Open to the US Open.[47] They have never met in a Grand Slam final, but Murray leads 3–1 in ATP finals, with Nadal winning at Indian Wells in 2009 and Murray winning in Rotterdam the same year, Tokyo in 2011, and Madrid in 2015.[47]

Nadal vs. Wawrinka

Nadal and Stan Wawrinka have met 20 times, with Nadal leading 17–3 (85.0%).[48] Although this rivalry has less significance than rivalries with the other members of the Big Four, the pair have met in several prestigious tournaments. The rivalry saw Nadal winning the first 12 encounters, all in straight sets, including 2 finals, one of which was a Masters final in Madrid in 2013.[48] However, since Wawrinka's breakthrough season in 2013 the pair has won an almost equal number of matches against each other (3–4) from 2014 onward. Wawrinka scored his first win against Nadal in their most important encounter, the 2014 Australian Open final in 4 sets, denying Nadal's double career slam. It was also the only match between them that did end in a straight-set win for either player.[48] Nadal then won their second Grand Slam final, at the 2017 French Open.[48]

Other rivalries

Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro met 17 times, with Nadal leading 11–6 (64.7%).[49] Outside the Big Four, no active player has more wins against Nadal than del Potro. The two met in many prestigious tournaments, including at three of the four majors and the Olympics.[49] Nadal won their first four meetings between 2007 and 2009, before del Potro went on to win the next three, including a straight-sets victory at the 2009 US Open semifinals.[49] Their next significant meeting came during the 2011 Davis Cup final. Nadal beat del Potro in four sets to claim the Davis Cup for Spain. In 2013, Nadal denied del Potro his first Masters title, with a victory in the final of the Indian Wells Open. However, del Potro sought revenge in the semifinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics, narrowly beating Nadal via a third-set tiebreak.[49] They then played a further four matches, all of which in majors, first at the 2017 US Open, which Nadal won in four sets, and then they met in three of the four majors in 2018, including a memorable match in the Wimbledon quarterfinals that lasted nearly five hours, with Nadal winning. The pair met for the last time at the 2018 US Open, where Nadal retired against del Potro in the semifinals.[49]

Nadal and Tomáš Berdych met a total of 24 times, with Nadal leading 20–4 (83.3%).[50] Although this rivalry is lopsided in favor of Nadal, the two had several close matches in prestigious tournaments. Their first match was a final in Båstad, which Nadal won.[50] They then met four times in 2005–06, all in Masters tournaments, with Berdych winning in three. Their biggest meeting came in the 2010 Wimbledon final, which Nadal won in straight sets.[50] Their next most significant meeting was in the opening round of the 2009 Davis Cup Final, where Nadal again defeated Berdych in straight sets en route to the title. At the 2015 Australian Open quarterfinal, following 18 straight losses over 9 years, Berdych was able to claim his only win over Nadal in a Grand Slam, winning in straight sets, including a "bagel" (6–0) in the second.[50]

Nadal and compatriot David Ferrer met a total of 32 times, with Nadal leading 26–6 (81.3%).[51] They have faced each other in finals on eight occasions, including two pairs of consecutive finals in Barcelona (2008–09 and 2011–12), with Nadal winning all of them.[51] Their biggest meeting came in the 2013 French Open final, which Nadal won in straight sets.[51]

Legacy

Nadal is, without a doubt, the best athlete in the history of Spain. Spain has to pay him a tribute for many, many years. Nadal is the king of Roland Garros and of world tennis. He has achieved a record that is very difficult to beat.

— Felipe VI, on Nadal's legacy after he won his 22nd Grand Slam at the French Open in 2022.[52]

Nadal has won the second-most major men's singles titles (22) and the second-most Big titles (59) in tennis history. He appeared in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings consecutively from April 2005 to March 2023 – a record spanning 912 weeks. He stands alone in the Open Era as the player with the most clay court titles (63), consisting of an all-time record 14 French Open titles, 12 Barcelona Open titles, 11 Monte-Carlo Masters titles, and 10 Italian Open titles. His 14 French Open titles are a record at any single tournament, and he holds the record for the longest single-surface win streak in matches (81 on clay) and in sets (50 on clay) in the history of the Open Era. Nadal holds the all-time records for the most majors won without losing a set (4), the most match wins at a single major (112 at the French Open), and the highest match-winning percentage at clay court majors (97.4%), among many others. Nadal's dominance on clay is reflected by his honorific title as the "King of Clay",[d] and he is widely regarded as the greatest clay-court player in history.[e] Nadal is considered by many to be the greatest player in tennis history because of his record and evolution into an all-court champion.[f]

Nadal played an instrumental role in taking Spain to four Davis Cup crowns, and is the winner of two Olympic gold medals. He is one of two men, along with Agassi, to win the Olympic gold medal as well as the four majors in singles in his career, a feat known as a Career Golden Slam. He is the only male player in history to complete the Career Grand Slam and win an Olympic gold medal in both singles and doubles.[g] He is one of four men in history, along with Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Djokovic, to complete the double Career Grand Slam in singles.

Among his numerous career accolades, Nadal was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2011 and 2021, and for winning three majors in 2010 he was named that year's BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.[83] He is an honorary recipient of the Grand Cross of Royal Order of Sports Merit, Grand Cross of Order of the Second of May, the Grand Cross of Naval Merit, the Princess of Asturias Award, and the Medal of the City of Paris. He was ranked as one of the world's highest-paid athletes by Forbes magazine in 2014. He was also named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2022.[84]

In 2014, former tennis player and eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi picked Nadal as the greatest of all time because of the way the Spaniard "had to deal with Federer, Djokovic, and Murray in a golden age of tennis".[85] In 2019, former world No. 1 and 1995 French Open champion Thomas Muster stated: “Rafael Nadal is the best clay-court player ever”.[86] Former world No. 1 Carlos Moyá stated in 2010 that Nadal was "one of the greatest ever. But he is on his way to become, who knows, maybe the greatest".[87] Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero: "Rafa is the king of knowing how to adapt to any situation in the match".[88] Former world No. 1 and career rival Novak Djokovic: "Our encounters have made me the player I am today".[88] Former world No. 1 and career rival Roger Federer: "I have always had the utmost respect for my friend Rafa as a person and as a champion. I believe we have pushed each other to become better players".[88]

Nadal played an instrumental role in the sport's revival, ushering in the Golden Age of tennis, which saw increased interest and higher revenues across tennis venues globally. The Djokovic–Nadal and Federer–Nadal rivalries are widely considered by players, coaches, and pundits to be among the greatest rivalries in sports history.[89][90]

Player profile

Playing style

It is important to have true inner humility, not false humility, accepting that it's not always good, bad moments are better tolerated. People sometimes exaggerate this business of humility. It's simply a question of knowing who you are, where you are, and that the world will continue exactly as it is without you.

Nadal, speaking to the press at the 2008 US Open.[91]

Nadal generally plays an aggressive, behind-the-baseline game founded on heavy topspin groundstrokes, consistency, speedy footwork and tenacious court coverage, thus making him an aggressive counterpuncher.[92] Known for his athleticism and speed around the court, Nadal is an excellent defender[93] who hits well on the run, constructing winning plays from seemingly defensive positions. He also plays very fine dropshots, which work especially well because his heavy topspin often forces opponents to the back of the court.[94]

Nadal hitting a forehand.

Nadal employs a semi-western grip forehand, often with a "lasso-whip" follow-through, where his left arm hits through the ball and finishes above his left shoulder – as opposed to a more traditional finish across the body or around his opposite shoulder.[95][96] Nadal's forehand groundstroke form allows him to hit shots with heavy topspin – more so than many of his contemporaries.[97]

San Francisco tennis researcher John Yandell used a high-speed video camera and special software to count the average number of revolutions of a tennis ball hit full force by Nadal. Yandell concluded:

The first guys we did were Sampras and Agassi. They were hitting forehands that in general were spinning about 1,800 to 1,900 revolutions per minute. Federer is hitting with an amazing amount of spin, too, right? 2,700 revolutions per minute. Well, we measured one forehand Nadal hit at 4,900. His average was 3,200.[98]

While Nadal's shots tend to land short of the baseline, the characteristically high bounces his forehands achieve tend to mitigate the advantage an opponent would normally gain from capitalizing on a short ball.[99] Although his forehand is based on heavy topspin, he can hit the ball deep and flat with a more orthodox follow through for clean winners, but instead of being admired for his finesse and angles, it was the brutality of his groundstrokes that caught the public eye; Nadal carried this stigma for most of his career.[88]

Nadal's serve was initially considered a weak point in his game, although his improvements in both first-serve points won and break points saved since 2005 have allowed him to consistently compete for and win major titles on faster surfaces. Nadal relies on the consistency of his serve to gain a strategic advantage in points, rather than going for service winners.[100] However, before the 2010 US Open, he altered his service motion, arriving in the trophy pose earlier and pulling the racket lower during the trophy pose. Moreover, he also modified his service grip to a more continental one, swiveling his iron left wrist a few millimeters on the racket.[101] These two changes in his serve increased his average speed by around 10 mph during the 2010 US Open, maxing out at 135 mph (217 km/h), allowing him to win more free points on his serve.[102] Since the 2010 US Open, Nadal's serve speed dropped to previous levels and was again cited as in need of improvement.[103][104][105] From 2019 onwards, several analysts praised Nadal's improvement on the serve, noting the speed of his serve had increased.[106][107][108][109]

Nadal is a clay court specialist, in the sense that he has been extremely successful on that surface. He has won 14 times at the French Open, 12 at Barcelona, 11 at Monte Carlo, and 10 at Rome. However, Nadal has shed that label owing to his success on other surfaces, including holding simultaneous Grand Slam tournament titles on grass, hard courts, and clay on two separate occasions, winning ten Masters titles on hard court, and winning an Olympic gold medal on hard court.[92][110] Even though he has been successful on hard courts, Nadal himself admitted that playing a lot on them is tiring and takes a physical toll on ATP Tour players, so he has repeatedly requested for a reevaluated tour schedule featuring fewer hard court tournaments and increasing the weeks of rest.[111]

Despite praise for Nadal's talent and skill, in the past, some had questioned his longevity in the sport, citing his build and playing style as conducive to injury.[112] For instance, after winning the 2010 US Open, former world No. 1 Pete Sampras stated: "The only question with Rafa is physically how much his body can handle the pounding with how hard he works for every point. You just watch him play, the kid is relentless".[113] This "longevity" narrative has proven inaccurate, and pundits today admire his resilience to come back from devastating injuries and his ability to play with physical pain.[114]

Attitude and demeanor

Freezing cold water. I do this before every match. It's the point before the point of no return. Under the cold shower I enter a new space in which I feel my power and resilience grow. I'm a different man when I emerge. I'm activated. I'm in "the flow"... Nothing else exists but the battle ahead.

–Nadal, on his pre-match rituals.[115]

Despite his success, his uncle Toni ensured that Nadal remained as normal, modest, and down to earth as possible, as he believed these qualities to have a tremendous impact on results and motivation.[8] He rarely if ever touts his achievements, refuses to put down his rivals, travels in public without a large entourage, and lingers after matches and practices to sign autographs.[116] For instance, in 2007, Nadal would often interrupt his training sessions on the public courts of Manacor, just to hit a few balls with fans and foreign tourists that had asked him to, even though they were not very good, and even against his uncle Toni’s wishes, who had to tell him that he "cannot do this all the time".[11] Former world No. 6 Gilles Simon has stressed that more than being grounded and simple off the court, what separates Nadal from the rest in contemporary tennis is his on-court humility, stating "Do not tell me that Rafael Nadal is not humble because he said in a press conference that he is not favorite in the first round of Roland-Garros".[117]

Nadal is also noted for his visceral delight in competing, whether he wins or loses.[116] He also has a rare philosophical approach to tennis and life that one sportswriter described as a “model of humility, empathy, and perspective”.[116]

Nadal is known for a host of on-court rituals including specific bodily movements and the positioning of items courtside.[118][119] At changeovers, he always waits until his opponent first crosses the net, refuses to step on the lines, and devotedly lines up his drinks bottles in precise positions near his chair, labels always facing out, before stepping back into action.[120] His water-bottle routine is so well-known that when they fell over during a match at the 2015 Australian Open, a ball boy dashed over to return the bottles to their upright position, with the labels facing the court as Nadal had intended.[116] Nadal himself has explained that such rituals do not stem from an obsessive–compulsive disorder complex or are based on superstition; they are instead meant to work as an almost therapeutic, psychological mechanism to help him stay calm in incredibly stressful situations.[116][121]

There is also a pattern to the way he approaches a serve. He usually takes three balls, examines them, discards one, shakes the strands of hair that have not been corralled by his headband out of his eyes, and then serves.[122] Nadal constantly picks at the rear of his shorts, wipes sweat from his brow and pushes hair back behind his ears before every serve.[120] Nadal's extensive time taken between points has received criticism from other players including Roger Federer and Denis Shapovalov,[123][124] with the latter wanting Nadal to be given a code violation for pushing the 25-second serve clock to the limit, stating that he was being given preferential treatment because of his status in the game.[120]

Nadal's personality has been described by Jimmy Connors: "He's built out of a mold that I think I came from also, that you walk out there, you give everything you have from the first point to the end no matter what the score. And you're willing to lay it all out on the line and you're not afraid to let the people see that".[125]

Coaching and personal team

Nadal's first and most important coach was his uncle Toni Nadal, who coached him from 1990 to 2017, from age 4 to 31.[126] Though strong physically as a player, Toni Nadal had struggled to be aggressive with his forehand and possessed no big shots. Along with working on the mental and physical sides, as Nadal improved, he ensured that his nephew developed a good technical, all-round aggressive game, became competent at the net, and developed his forehand into a weapon.[8]

At age 12, Nadal began attending the Balearic Islands training centre 50 kilometers and a one-hour car journey away from Manacor in Palma.[8] He and his uncle came to train there three times a week, so that Nadal could train with the best boys in the Balearic Islands. There, he was trained along with his uncle Toni, by Toni Colom, who became Nadal’s traveling coach for the next four years, between 1999 and 2003, mainly for Futures tournaments.[8] Colom later explained that "I was traveling to those tournaments because I had a bigger availability of traveling [than Toni] and not because I was more experienced".[127] After 2005, Nadal left the structure of the Balearic School and little by little he created his own team.[128]

Unlike most of his contemporaries, Nadal remained loyal and rarely made changes to it. For instance, he worked with the exact same team for 11 years between 2006 and 2017. Nadal’s team consists of members from his family and professional staff, whom Nadal also considers his family.[129] Besides Toni, the first members of his team were Joan Forcades, Nadal's instructor since childhood,[129] and doctor Ángel Ruiz Cotorro, who had a crucial participation in his professional tennis career.[130] Cotorro, who has also worked with Juan Martín del Potro and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, helped him play after facing injuries and his suggestions have been pivotal to his game.[130] Nadal has said of his doctor that: "I trust Dr. Cotorro with my life. He was my doctor then, he remains my doctor today, and if I have anything to do with it he will remain my doctor till the day I retire".[130] Forcades is the lead fitness expert for Nadal and develops his training program that is further implemented by the other experts who work with Nadal.[129]

Toni has described his coaching style as 'hard', saying that he occasionally puts too much pressure on Nadal, but that he does so because he wants him to succeed.[131] Together, they won 16 major titles between 2005 and 2016, making them the second most successful tennis coach-player partnership only behind Marián Vajda and Novak Djokovic.[131]

In 2005, Nadal was signed by Spanish agent Carlo Costa, who oversees the huge operation that runs around him, such as managing everything related to advertising, sponsorship or social events.[132][133] In 2006, Costa and Nadal's father convinced Benito Pérez Barbadillo, who had been working as the press officer of the ATP since the late 1990s, to open his own company (B1PR) to work with them as Nadal's communications director (PR manager).[132][134] Nadal then hired physiotherapist Rafael Maymó, who also designs his physical preparation together with Forcades and who is one of Nadal's closest friends, thus also acting as a psychologist.[129][132] Nadal has stated that Maymó "has been almost my shadow since 2006” and that they spend more time with each other than they do with their wives.[135]

After signing his new coach Carlos Moyá in December 2016,[136] Nadal's game style acquired a more offensive approach. Under Moyá's direction, Nadal improved his serve,[137][108] and incorporated serve-and-volley as a surprise tactic in some of his matches.[138] Moyá, who has known Nadal since he was 12, has always been more a friend than a coach for his pupil, and when he realizes that Nadal is going through a bad time, he leaves his duty as a coach and acts like a friend with whom Nadal can speak to.[131]

Nadal is currently working with two coaches, Moyá, his head coach, and Francisco Roig, who was hired by Nadal in 2005, and who sometimes acts as the alternate coach.[131][139]

Equipment and Apparel

Nadal wearing his signature Nike sleeveless shirt at the French Open in 2007, while holding his Babolat racquet

Nike serves as Nadal's clothing and shoe sponsor. Nadal's signature on-court attire entailed a variety of sleeveless shirts paired with 3/4 length capri pants.[140] For the 2009 season, Nadal adopted more-traditional on-court apparel. Nike encouraged Nadal to update his look in order to reflect his new status as the sport's top player at that time[141] and associate Nadal with a style that, while less distinctive than his "pirate" look, would be more widely emulated by consumers.[142][143] At warmup tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Doha, Nadal played matches in a polo shirt specifically designed for him by Nike,[144] paired with shorts cut above the knee. Nadal's new, more conventional style carried over to the 2009 Australian Open, where he was outfitted with Nike's Bold Crew Men's Tee[145] and Nadal Long Check Shorts.[146][147][148] Nadal wears Nike's Air CourtBallistec 2.3 tennis shoes,[149] bearing various customizations throughout the season, including his nickname "Rafa" on the right shoe and a stylized bull logo on the left.

Nadal uses an AeroPro Drive racquet with a 4+1⁄4-inch L2 grip. As of the 2010 season, Nadal's racquets are painted to resemble the new Babolat AeroPro Drive with Cortex GT racquet in order to market a current model that Babolat sells.[150][151] Nadal uses no replacement grip, and instead wraps two overgrips around the handle. He used Duralast 15L strings until the 2010 season, when he switched to Babolat's new, black-colored, RPM Blast string. Nadal's rackets are always strung at 55 lb (25 kg), regardless of which surface or conditions he is playing on.[citation needed]

Off the court

In popular culture

Nadal's autobiography, Rafa (Hyperion, 2012, ISBN 1-4013-1092-3), written with assistance from John Carlin, was published in August 2011.[152]

In February 2010, Rafael Nadal was featured in the music video of Shakira's "Gypsy", filmed in Barcelona.[153][154] The chemistry between them was such that denials were released by both parties to quash rumors of a possible romantic relationship.[155] In explaining why she chose Nadal for the video, Shakira was quoted as saying in an interview with the Latin American Herald Tribune: "I thought that maybe I needed someone I could in some way identify with. And Rafael Nadal is a person who has been totally committed to his career since he was very young. Since he was 17, I believe."[156][157] In 2016, Nadal made a five-second cameo in the music video of RedOne's "Don't You Need Somebody", which featured many other sporting stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.[158]

In 2018, Nadal was featured in a new ad for the 2018 tennis game Mario Tennis Aces, the latest entry in the Mario Tennis series.[159] In the ad, Nadal is serving for the win against a stubborn Mario before finally overcoming him in a climatic final shot.[159]

Homages and tributes

In April 2017, the centre court of the Barcelona Open was named Pista Rafa Nadal.[160] In 2021, prior to the start of the tournament, the French Open paid tribute to Nadal with the installation of a 3-meters tall steel statue at Stade Roland Garros.[161] It was created by Jordi Díez Fernández, one of Spain's most renowned sculptors.[161]

128036 Rafaelnadal is a main belt asteroid discovered in 2003 at the Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca and named after Nadal.[162] The decision to name the asteroid after Nadal was made by the International Astronomical Union in response to a request by the observatory. The asteroid is four kilometers in diameter and travels through space at a speed of 20 km per second.[163]

At both the London and Rio Olympic Games, Nadal was chosen as the country's flag bearer, and although he had to give up carrying Spain's red and yellow banner in 2012 due to his ongoing injuries, Nadal was the flagbearer for Spain in the opening ceremony of the 2016 edition; Nadal later described this experience as an "unforgettable moment".[164][165]

Philanthropy

After countless philanthropic efforts in the early part of his career, he launched the nonprofit Fundación Rafa Nadal in November 2007, and its official presentation was in February 2008, at the Manacor Tennis Club in Mallorca, created to help disadvantaged children and teenagers, offering them opportunities through the practice of sports.[166] Two months earlier, in December 2007, Nadal and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas teamed up to stage a charity sports event in Madrid, aptly named "Friends of Iker v Friends of Rafa", to raise money to buy vaccines for children infected by Malaria as a means to help the Red Cross in its fight against the disease.[167] This charity event was a huge success overnight, raising well over £100,000, which inspired Nadal to set up his own foundation, stating, "We raised an amount of money that we would never have imagined. [...] That is why the time has come to set up my own foundation and determine the destination of the money".[167]

On deciding why to start a foundation, Nadal said "This can be the beginning of my future, when I retire and have more time, [...] I am doing very well and I owe society, [...] A month-and-a-half ago I was in Chennai, in India. The truth is we live great here... I can contribute something with my image..."[168] Even though poverty in India struck him particularly hard, Nadal wants to start by helping "people close by, in the Balearic Islands, in Spain, and then, if possible, abroad".[168] Nadal's mother, Ana María Parera, chairs the charitable organization and father Sebastian is vice-chairman.[169] His wife Maria Perello also works for the foundation as the Project Director of Strategy and Relations with Institutions.[168]

On 16 October 2010, Nadal traveled to India for the first time to visit his tennis academy for underprivileged children at Anantapur Sports Village, in the Anantapur City, Andhra Pradesh.[169] His foundation has also worked in the Anantapur Educational Center project, in collaboration with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.[170][171]

Nadal took part in Thailand's "A Million Trees for the King" project, planting a tree in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on a visit to Hua Hin during his Thailand Open 2010. Nadal stated: "I want to congratulate the Thai people and congratulate the King for this unbelievable day. I wish all the best for this idea. It's very, very nice."[168][172]

In 2020, his foundation joined hands with Endesa, the largest electrical utility company in Spain and one of the most recognizable brands for Spanish citizens.[173] Endesa donated €400,000, which was used to help people who survived the pandemic, but also to add personnel and increase the capabilities of different services offered by the centers, with special focus on setting up a psychotherapy sector in Valencia.[173]

In 2023, on the occasion of the International Day of Sport on 6 April, the Fundación Rafa Nadal announced that they had decided to partner with UNESCO through its Fit for Life project, a sport-based flagship program designed to tackle physical inactivity, such as accelerating the recovery from Covid-19, mental health issues, and inequality.[174]

Charitable work

In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Nadal played in a special charity event alongside fellow top tennis players during the 2010 Australian Open called 'Hit for Haiti', whose proceeds went to Haiti earthquake victims.[175] He participated in a follow-up charity exhibition during the 2010 Indian Wells Open, pairing with Andre Agassi in an eventual loss to Roger Federer and Pete Sampras; it raised $1 million.[176] In late 2010, Nadal played his perceived career rival Roger Federer in the two-match exhibition Match for Africa for the Roger Federer Foundation and the Rafa Nadal Foundation. The first match took place in Zürich on 21 December, and was won by Federer, while the following match was played in Madrid, and it was won by Nadal.[177]

His foundation and academy have frequently come to the aid of those in need, especially in Spain.[178] During the Majorca flood in October 2018, Nadal, who was recovering at home in Majorca after having to leave the US Open due to injury, opened his tennis academy centre to the victims.[178][179] One day after the flood he worked personally with some friends to help the victims, being photographed lending his hand in the cleaning up process once the flood waters had receded.[178][180][181] Later, Nadal donated €1 million for rebuilding Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, the most affected town by the floods in the island.[178][182][183] Nadal also organized other charitable activities to help repair the damage of the disaster, such as the Olazábal & Nadal charity golf tournament[184][185] and a charity tennis match in which he was going to participate and that had to be suspended because he had to have an operation on an ankle injury,[186] later identified as Mueller-Weiss Syndrome.[187]

To combat the ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nadal joined hands with Pau Gasol in June to help raise upwards of 14 million euros. The proceeds in their entirety were directed towards the people suffering from the effects of the deadly virus.[178] In 2020, the Fundación Rafa Nadal pledged to support the Food Bank of Mallorca, announcing that it would aim to collect 3,000 kg of food to support 25,000 individuals in Mallorca.[178]

In 2020, Nelson Monfort, one of the most renowned and well-respected French sports journalists in the world, claimed that Nadal was the most charitable athlete he had come across during his career.[178] Monfort, who has interviewed Nadal for well over a decade, further stated that he had never declined to help for any charitable cause, and that he always responded to his requests promptly.[178]

Nadal supports or has supported other charities, such as City Harvest, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and Small Steps Project.[168][188] As a result of his various charitable contributions through the Rafa Nadal Foundation, Nadal was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award for 2011.[189]

Sponsorships and endorsements

Nadal has been sponsored by Kia Motors since 2006. He has appeared in advertising campaigns for Kia as a global ambassador for the company. In May 2008, Kia released a claymation viral ad featuring Nadal in a tennis match with an alien. In May 2015, Nadal extended his partnership with Kia for another five years.[190] He became the face of Lanvin's L'Homme Sport cologne in April 2009.[191]

As of January 2010, Nadal is the international ambassador for Quely, a company from his native Mallorca that manufactures biscuits, bakery and chocolate-coated products; he has consumed their products ever since he was a young child.[192]

In 2010, luxury watchmaker Richard Mille announced that he had developed an ultra-light wristwatch in collaboration with Nadal called the Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon watch.[193] The watch is made of titanium and lithium and is valued at US$525,000; Nadal was involved in the design and testing of the watch on the tennis court.[193] During the 2010 French Open, Men's Fitness reported that Nadal wore the Richard Mille watch on the court as part of a sponsorship deal with the Swiss watchmaker.[194]

Nadal replaced Cristiano Ronaldo as the new face of Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans for the spring/summer 2011 collection.[195][153] This was the first time that the label has chosen a tennis player for the job; association football has ruled lately prior to Ronaldo, David Beckham graced the ads since 2008.[196] Armani said that he selected Nadal as his latest male underwear model because "...he is ideal as he represents a healthy and positive model for youngsters".[195]

In June 2012, Nadal joined the group of sports endorsers of the PokerStars online poker cardroom.[197] Nadal won a charity poker tournament against retired Brazilian football player Ronaldo in 2014.[198]

In August 2023, Nadal signed up as the brand ambassador for the Indian IT major Infosys.[199] Rafael said: "I’m very happy to work closely with Infosys, as they work to not only evolve the experience of tennis to the times, but also empower people in our communities to be part of a brighter future."

Rafa Nadal Sports Centre

Nadal owns and trains at the Rafa Nadal Sports Centre (40,000 m2, 430,000 sq ft) in his hometown of Manacor, Mallorca. The centre houses the Rafa Nadal Academy, where the American International School of Mallorca is located, making it easier for the players to handle school and tennis while still getting a good education.[200] Also located in the centre is a sports residence, a Rafael Nadal museum, a health clinic, a fitness centre with spa and a café. The facility has 26 tennis courts among its sporting areas, as well as padel and squash courts, football fields, swimming pools, and multi-sports areas.[200] The academy is not only used by a lot of young talented Spanish tennis players, but also from across the world. For instance, in 2017, the Australian tennis federation even agreed on a partnership with Nadal's Academy to let their players use it as their European training base.[200][201] Coach and uncle Toni Nadal is the Head of the academy, his agent Carlos Costa is the Head of business development, and his childhood idol and fellow Majorcan Carlos Moyá is also involved as a technical director.[200]

In 2021, a four-episode series about the Rafa Nadal Academy was aired on both Amazon Prime and Movistar and broadcast in 244 countries around the world.[202] The docuseries features several young tennis talents who tell their stories, testimonies, and experiences at the academy.[202]

Nadal also owns and operates three other similar Rafa Nadal Academy/Centre facilities in Al Zahra, Kuwait (called the Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait),[203] Cancún, Mexico (called the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre Mexico),[204] and Chalkidiki, Greece (called the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre Greece).[205] The Mexico and Greece Centres started operations in 2019 while the Kuwait Academy opened in 2020.[206]

In his new role, the former world No. 1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion will promote tennis in Saudi Arabia and open a Rafa Nadal Academy there.[207]

Involvement in football and other sports

Nadal is an avid football fan and his favorite clubs are RCD Mallorca and Real Madrid CF,[153] stating "when my uncle (Miguel Ángel) was playing for Barcelona, we wanted Barcelona to win. Before that, my whole family was for Real Madrid. After my uncle left the Barcelona team, then we’re all for the Real Madrid again. I have got nothing against Barcelona, but I prefer Real Madrid to win".[208] According to his uncle Toni, Nadal is "a mad fan of Real Madrid", and regards French football player Zinedine Zidane as an athlete who is "as high as any man can get". In 2005, Nadal received the Coupe des Mousquetaires from the hands of Zidane, who called him "a phenomenon".[209]

In December 2007, in the "Friends of Iker v Friends of Rafa" charity sports event, the two teams contested a tennis match and a football match, in which Nadal showed his football skills by scoring six goals against Casillas.[167] With the teams tied at 14–14, the combined scores from the football and tennis matches, the event had to be decided in a penalty shoot-out, which was won by Nadal's squad.[167] In December 2008, Nadal and Casillas staged a similar event, this time including an indoor football match, a tennis match, and a go-kart race.[210][211] Casillas’ team won the kart race, mainly thanks to the experienced driving abilities of Spanish former Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso, while Nadal’s squad, which included Barcelona football star Samuel Eto'o and Novak Djokovic, then hit back to win the tennis event.[210][211] The deciding football match ended in defeat for Nadal by a score of 9–12 loss.[210]

On 8 July 2010, it was reported that he had become a shareholder of RCD Mallorca, his local club by birth, in an attempt to assist the club from debt.[212] Nadal reportedly owns 10 percent and was offered the role of vice president, which he rejected.[213] His uncle Miguel Ángel Nadal became assistant coach under Michael Laudrup. Shortly after acquiring his interest in Mallorca, Nadal called out UEFA for apparent hypocrisy in ejecting the club from the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League for excessive debts, saying through a club spokesperson, "Well, if those are the criteria upon which UEFA is operating, then European competition will only comprise two or three clubs because all the rest are in debt, too."[214]

He is a fervent supporter of the Spanish national team, and he was one of six people not affiliated with the team or the national federation allowed to enter the team's locker room following Spain's victory in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.[214]

Nadal has made several honorary kick-offs, such as in the Parc des Princes between PSG and Stade de Reims for a Ligue 1 match in 2012, swapping his racket for the shirt of Zlatan Ibrahimovic,[215] and in Rio's local football derby between CR Vasco da Gama and CR Flamengo at the Maracanã Stadium in 2014.[216] In 2022, Nadal was invited to take the symbolic kick-off between Real Madrid and RCD Espanyol for a La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and was greeted by a heartfelt standing ovation from Real Madrid supporters and from Carlos Alcaraz, who was also present in the stands.[217] In 2023, Nadal kicked-off a Copa del Rey match between his hometown club CE Manacor and UD Las Palmas. Manacor's vice-president, Joan Gonzalez, then presented Nadal with a Manacor team’s red and white-striped T-shirt for his baby son, who had just turned a year old.[218]

In addition to tennis and football, Nadal enjoys playing golf and poker.[219] In April 2014, he played the world's No. 1 female poker player, Vanessa Selbst, in a poker game in Monaco.[220] In October 2020, Nadal competed in the professional-level Balearic Golf Championship,[221] obtaining a World Amateur Golf Ranking in the process.[222] Nadal plays golf even more determinedly than tennis, stating "I am decidedly unfriendly during a golf game, from the first hole to the last".[223]

Personal life

I love fishing for three reasons: the calm and tranquillity, the beauty of the sea –- and, of course, the satisfaction of catching your dinner. I can forget about everything. No one can call me, because I keep my mobile switched off, so I can relax and not think about tennis.[19]

— Nadal, on his love for fishing in his leisure time to the Daily Mail in 2007.

Family and children

In June 2009, the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, and then The New York Times, reported that his parents, Ana María and Sebastián, had separated. This news came after weeks of speculation in Internet posts and message boards over Nadal's personal issues as the cause of his setback.[224] Nadal later stated "My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. After that, I couldn't play Wimbledon, it was tough. For one month I was outside the world."[19]

Nadal met his future wife, María Francisca (Mery) Perelló Pascual[225] (often mistakenly[226] referred to as Xisca in the press),[227] through his younger sister, María Isabel, and began dating her in 2005, when he was 19 and she was 17; but they only formalized their relationship to the public in 2007.[228] After dating for more than 14 years, their engagement was reported in January 2019.[229] In October 2019, the couple was married at the La Fortaleza castle in Port de Pollença, Majorca,[153] in a wedding ceremony that had 350 guests, including prominent personalities like Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie.[168][230] On 8 October 2022, they welcomed their first child, a son named Rafael.[231][232] Unlike most of his contemporaries, Nadal decided to delay having children with his wife only towards the end of his sporting career because he would otherwise not be able to allocate his complete attention to his kids.[168][233]

Perelló took her first job as a sports marketer in London, but later, as she saw Nadal’s career getting bigger, she decided to help his off-court business.[228] Currently, she is the Project Director of Strategy and Relations with Institutions for the Fundación Rafa Nadal.[168] Perelló rarely appears as a spectator at Nadal's competitions not only because of her reserved nature and unwillingness to be amongst the hot news and glamour of the celebrity world, but also because she is very susceptible to stress; for instance, during the 2021 Italian Open final, Perelló yelled from her box when Nadal took a bad fall after stumbling off a protruding sideline.[228] Furthermore, Perelló believes that staying away from the tours keeps their relationship stronger, stating that “It would asphyxiate me. And then he would have to be worrying about me”.[223][228]

Residences

When Nadal was aged 10 to 21, the entire extended Nadal family shared a five-storey, family-owned apartment building in their hometown of Manacor, proving just how close-knit a group they are.[8][11] For instance, in 2008, the 21-year-old Nadal was still living with his parents despite already being a superstar with a prize money close to $16 million and off-court endorsements beyond that.[11] Later in his career, when Nadal won a Mercedes at a tournament, Toni insisted that he put the car in the garage, and drive around in a cheaper sponsor car so that he would remain humble, and with his feet planted firmly on the ground.[8]

In 2012, Nadal purchased a house in Porto Cristo for about 4 million euros, with his family home being right around the corner.[234] Around the time he won the 2012 French Open, Nadal acquired a vacation home, a two-story villa in Playa Nueva Romana, in the Dominican Republic, for about 2 million euros.[235]

Religion and Multilingualism

Nadal was raised a Catholic, but now identifies himself as an agnostic atheist.[236] In a Sports Illustrated interview in 2010, Nadal was asked whether he believed in God or not, to which he replied that it was "a very difficult thing for me to believe".[153][237] In an interview for the Spanish newspaper Información, Nadal stated on the context of his view on wars that "You can be religious, or atheist, Christian, Muslim... whatever, but I think the atrocities that people committed in the name of religion are too much. For me, religion is the main cause of mortality in history".[238]

Nadal is bilingual in Spanish and Balearic Catalan, he also speaks English.[239]

Other endeavors

As a young boy, he would run home from school to watch Goku in his favorite Japanese anime, Dragon Ball. CNN released an article about Nadal's childhood inspiration, and called him "the Dragon Ball of tennis" owing to his unorthodox style "from another planet".[240]

Nadal is known for his fearless competitive nature on the court. However, off the court, Nadal has always been "a bit of a scaredy cat", as his sister put it.[223] In fact, he has had a fear of the dark since he was a young boy.[14] Nadal has always preferred sleeping with at least one light or television screen switched on, and turns up the TV volume in order not to hear other noises coming from outside his home.[241] Furthermore, Nadal is afraid of deep water, dogs, and thunderstorms, hiding under cushions each time there is one, and is nervous about riding a bicycle.[14][223]

Despite playing tennis left-handed, Nadal is known for being right-handed while doing things in everyday life such as eating, writing, and playing golf and darts.[7][242]

During his leisure time, Nadal loves his PlayStation, going to the cinema with friends, and spending a lot of time reading and surfing the internet.[243] He also goes to Broadway every year to see a musical, claiming that he has seen "Mamma Mia, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera like six, seven times".[19]

Nadal loves fishing due to its relaxing nature.[19] During the Covid-19 pandemic, Nadal took the opportunity of the break to explore newer interests and learn new things, notably building on his hobby of cooking, which already was one of his favorite pastimes.[244][245]

Diet and lifestyle

Nadal has often said that he owes his power and agility to his strict routine, which includes training, nutrition, and conditioning.[244] Nadal centres the bulk of his entire diet around seafood since at least 2007. He has often promoted the importance of a seafood-rich diet to the media, which includes steamed fish and shrimp dumplings, along with pasta and white rice.[246] Nadal is not overly restrictive, however, since he has frequently expressed that his personal favourites include paella and chocolate, but he does understand the need for self-control, stating: "You eat paella every day, you cannot play tennis".[246] According to Vigour Fact, he is working with a daily consumption of around 4,700 calories per day.[246] He has also revealed that on average, he consumes 172kg of fruit every year.[244] During gameplay, Nadal stays hydrated by drinking lots of water, as well as hypotonic beverages.[247] After grueling matches, Nadal's drinks of choice to recover are protein shakes because they assist with muscle regeneration, and filtered seawater because of its efficiency in getting important minerals back into the body.[247]

He typically hits the court just after breakfast and does not leave until early afternoon, in between performing rigorous tennis-related exercises like footwork drills, racket swings, ball drills, and short sprints.[246]

Health

Throughout his career, Nadal expressed a lot of concern over his knee injuries, which were long-lasting and chronic, sidelining him for years. In late 2012, Nadal received over six months of physical therapy, along with Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, an innovative non-surgical treatment option for people with sprained knees and chronic tendon injuries that had been legalized in 2011.[248] The PRP therapy proved to be successful as 2013 was one of Nadal's best years and he has since had much fewer knee injuries.[249]

In 2021, Nadal announced that he had a rare chronic disorder of his left ankle, Mueller-Weiss syndrome.[250] He was diagnosed at the age of 19 and held off surgery as long as he could.[251] After surgery in 2021, he returned to tennis in early 2022, winning the Australian Open. He later received two numbing injections and anti-inflammatories before each of his seven matches en route to winning the 2022 French Open.[252] Nadal stated that he was not willing to do this again. In an open statement regarding his injury, he said, "I am not injured, I am a player living with an injury."[252]

Career statistics

Main article: Rafael Nadal career statistics

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.

Current through the 2024 French Open.

Tournament 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Australian Open A 3R 4R A QF SF W QF QF F A F QF 1R F QF F QF QF W 2R A 2 / 18 77–16 83%
French Open A A W W W W 4R W W W W W QF 3R[A] W W W W SF W A 1R 14 / 19 112–4 97%
Wimbledon 3R A 2R F F W A W F 2R 1R 4R 2R A 4R SF SF NH A SF[A] A 2 / 15 58–12 83%
US Open 2R 2R 3R QF 4R SF SF W F A W A 3R 4R W SF W A A 4R A 4 / 16 67–12 85%
Win–loss 3–2 3–2 13–3 17–2 20–3 24–2 15–2 25–1 23–3 14–2 14–1 16–2 11–4 5–2 23–2 21–3 24–2 11–1 9–2 22–1 1–1 0–1 22 / 68 314–44 88%
  1. ^ a b Nadal withdrew before the third round of the 2016 French Open due to a wrist injury and before the semi-finals of 2022 Wimbledon due to an abdominal tear, which do not officially count as losses.

Nadal's 22 Grand Slam singles titles place him second in the men's all-time rankings, behind Djokovic's 24 titles. His 30 Grand Slam singles finals place him 3rd in the men's all-time rankings, behind Djokovic's 36 and Federer's 31 finals, respectively. He has won 14 French Open titles, an all-time record at any tournament. He is the youngest player in the Open Era to win all four majors (24 years old).

Grand Slam tournament finals: 30 (22 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 2005 French Open Clay Argentina Mariano Puerta 6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
Win 2006 French Open (2) Clay Switzerland Roger Federer 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Loss 2006 Wimbledon Grass Switzerland Roger Federer 0–6, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2), 3–6
Win 2007 French Open (3) Clay Switzerland Roger Federer 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 2007 Wimbledon Grass Switzerland Roger Federer 6–7(7–9), 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 2–6
Win 2008 French Open (4) Clay Switzerland Roger Federer 6–1, 6–3, 6–0
Win 2008 Wimbledon Grass Switzerland Roger Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7
Win 2009 Australian Open Hard Switzerland Roger Federer 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 3–6, 6–2
Win 2010 French Open (5) Clay Sweden Robin Söderling 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
Win 2010 Wimbledon (2) Grass Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych 6–3, 7–5, 6–4
Win 2010 US Open Hard Serbia Novak Djokovic 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Win 2011 French Open (6) Clay Switzerland Roger Federer 7–5, 7–6(7–3), 5–7, 6–1
Loss 2011 Wimbledon Grass Serbia Novak Djokovic 4–6, 1–6, 6–1, 3–6
Loss 2011 US Open Hard Serbia Novak Djokovic 2–6, 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 1–6
Loss 2012 Australian Open Hard Serbia Novak Djokovic 7–5, 4–6, 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 5–7
Win 2012 French Open (7) Clay Serbia Novak Djokovic 6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5
Win 2013 French Open (8) Clay Spain David Ferrer 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
Win 2013 US Open (2) Hard Serbia Novak Djokovic 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Loss 2014 Australian Open Hard Switzerland Stan Wawrinka 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 2014 French Open (9) Clay Serbia Novak Djokovic 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4
Loss 2017 Australian Open Hard Switzerland Roger Federer 4–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 2017 French Open (10) Clay Switzerland Stan Wawrinka 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
Win 2017 US Open (3) Hard South Africa Kevin Anderson 6–3, 6–3, 6–4
Win 2018 French Open (11) Clay Austria Dominic Thiem 6–4, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 2019 Australian Open Hard Serbia Novak Djokovic 3–6, 2–6, 3–6
Win 2019 French Open (12) Clay Austria Dominic Thiem 6–3, 5–7, 6–1, 6–1
Win 2019 US Open (4) Hard Russia Daniil Medvedev 7–5, 6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–4
Win 2020 French Open (13) Clay Serbia Novak Djokovic 6–0, 6–2, 7–5
Win 2022 Australian Open (2) Hard Russia Daniil Medvedev 2–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–4, 7–5
Win 2022 French Open (14) Clay Norway Casper Ruud 6–3, 6–3, 6–0

Year–End Championships performance timeline

Tournament 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
ATP Finals Did not qualify A SF SF A RR F RR A F A SF A RR A RR SF DNQ RR DNQ 0 / 11 21–18 54%


Year–End Championship finals: 2 (2 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 2010 ATP Finals Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer 3–6, 6–3, 1–6
Loss 2013 ATP Finals Hard (i) Serbia Novak Djokovic 3–6, 4–6

Olympic gold medal matches

Singles: 1 (1 Gold medal)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Gold 2008 Summer Olympics (Beijing) Hard Chile Fernando González 6–3, 7–6(7–2), 6–3

Doubles: 1 (1 Gold medal)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Gold 2016 Summer Olympics (Rio) Hard Spain Marc López Romania Florin Mergea
Romania Horia Tecău 		6–2, 3–6, 6–4

Records

Main article: List of career achievements by Rafael Nadal

All-time tournament records

Open Era records

  • These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis.
  • Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
  • Records in italics are currently active streaks.
  • ^ Denotes consecutive streak.

Professional awards

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ In ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, Summer Olympics, Davis Cup, Laver Cup, ATP Cup and United Cup; 2nd in the Open Era
  2. ^ The other being Andre Agassi.
  3. ^ The group of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Andy Murray has also been called the Big Four in reference to their place as the four most accomplished players of their era.
  4. ^ See:[53][54][55][56][57][58]
  5. ^ See:[59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68]
  6. ^ See:[69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81]
  7. ^ a b Laurence Doherty, Charles Winslow, Vincent Richards, and Nicolás Massú are the only other male players in history who have won an Olympic gold medal in both singles and doubles in their careers, however, they never completed the Career Grand Slam.[82]
  8. ^ a b Between 1928 and 1984, tennis was not included in the official Olympic program.
  9. ^ Also referred to as the "North American Hardcourt Slam".[255][256]
  10. ^ The finals Nadal reached without losing a set were the 2007,[274] 2008, 2010, 2012, 2017, and 2020 French Opens, the 2010 US Open, and the 2019 Australian Open.[275]
  11. ^ The world No. 1 players who Nadal defeated were Roger Federer (13 times)[303] and Novak Djokovic (10 times).[304]

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Further reading

External links

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