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Rafael Nadal is a Spanish international tennis player and one of the greatest tennis players of all times. Here are some interesting facts about him.
- Nadal will represent “Indian Aces” in the second edition of IPTL in December 2015.
- On August 2, 2015 he won his 67th singles title of his career.
- By winning the 2015 “Hamburg Open,” Nadal has to his credit 47 title on clay.
- He was born on 03 June 1986 in Manacor, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- He was named “Rafael Nadal Parera,” as per Spanish customs taking after paternal and maternal surnames.
- He is born to Sebastian Nadal, a businessman and Ana Maria Parera, a housewife. He has a younger sister named Maria Isabel.
- He has come to be considered as greatest clay court player earning the title “King of Clay”.
- He was introduced to tennis by his uncle when he was three years old.
- Nadal was a promising footballer before taking to tennis. He is a big fan of “Real Madrid” and “RCD Mallorca” football clubs.
- When he was 8 years old he won a regional under 12 tournament, which prompted his uncle and coach Tony Nadal to intensify his coaching.
- Nadal being ambidextrous, he was encouraged to play tennis with his left hand, which is considered an advantage in tennis.
- By the age of 12 he started winning age group tournament in Spain and Europe.
- World took notice of him as a 14 year old in May 2001 when he beat “Pat cash” a Grand Slam Champion in an exhibition match.
- Nadal turned professional at age of 15. He reached boys single semi-final of Wimbledon in 2002 as a 16 year old.
- At 17 years in his Wimbledon debut year 2003, he reached the third round.
- He was voted as the “ATP New Comer of the Year” in 2003.
- In 2005 he won the French Open as 19 years old in his very first attempt.
- From being 762 ranked player in April 2002, he became world rank No. 3 after his French Open title.
- Nadal won the “Golden Bagel Award” for the year 2005, with eleven 6-0 sets.
- He won 2006 French Open title and became the first player to beat Roger Federer in a Grand Slam tournament final.
- On the way to 2006 French Open title, he broke the record of 53 consecutive victories in clay court matches held by Guillermo Villas of Argentina.
- He holds a record of 81 consecutive victories in clay court match by a male in open era.
- Nadal defeated Federer in a unique exhibition match, the “Battle of Surfaces,” in Mallorca, Spain. The court is half grass and half clay.
- When he won the 2008 French Open, he became the fifth man to win the title without dropping a set in a Grand Slam match in an Open Era.
- Nadal won his first Wimbledon title in the year 2008.
- On 18 August 2008, earned world ranking of No 1 for the first time.
- He won his first Olympic Gold medal at 2008 Beijing Olympic, becoming the first top male player to do so.
- With eight titles including two Grand Slams, Nadal was voted as “Player of the Year” for 2008 and awarded “World tour Champion trophy”.
- He won his first “Australian Open” title in 2009. He is the first Spaniard to do so.
- 2010 Wimbledon title gave, Nadal his first “Old World Triple,” that is winning Italy Open, French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
- Nadal expressed winning the 2010 Wimbledon men’s title was more than a dream.
- During 2010 Wimbledon, Nadal was fined $2000 for receiving coaching from his coach during the match.
- He is the international ambassador for Quely, a biscuit manufacturing company.
- After losing to Federer in the “2010 ATP World Tour Final,” he felt Federer was probably the most complete player of the world.
- On December 21, 2010 in Zurich, Switzerland, Nadal played an exhibition match with Federer for Roger Federer Foundation. The “Match for Africa” raised $4 Million.
- Nadal has started a “Nadal Academy” in Anantapur city, Andhra Pradesh, India for underprivileged children.
- He was awarded “Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award” in London on November 21, 2010.
- He is one of the two players to have won twice on three different surfaces, Clay, Grass and Hard court.
- On February 7, 2011, he was awarded the “Laureus World sportman of the Year” for the first time. He was nominated thrice.
- When he lost the final of 2012 “Australian Open” to Djokovic, a record was set for playing the longest five set match. The match lasted for 05 hours 53 minutes.
- Nadal has won eight consecutive “Monte- Carlo Rolex Masters”.
- When Nadal played Djokovic in the final of 2012 “French Open,” it was the first time same set of player are facing in the consecutive Grand Slam finals.
- After the 2013 “Barcelona Open,” he became the first player to win two tournaments eight or more times.
- Nadal is the youngest player in the open era to achieve “Career Grand Slam”.
- The 2014 French Open title was his ninth. He is the only male player to have won single Grand Slam Tournaments nine times.
- With 2014 French Open, Nadal has won 14 Grand Slam titles.
- Nadal has an endorsement deal with Swiss watch maker Richard Mille. The watch is Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillion, ultra light, made of titanium and lithium valued at US$525,000.
- Nadal has featured in an music video “Gypsy” with Shakira.
- Astronomical Observatory of Mallorca, Spain has named an Asteroid discovered in 2003 after Nadal.
- Nadal with his mental toughness, speed and all court game has established himself, as one of the great tennis player if not the greatest of all.
