Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal or simply known as “Rafa” is a Spanish professional tennis player who was born on June 3, 1986 at Manacor, Majorca. He became the World’s No. 2 in 2009 tennis player in the single men’s division after withdrawing from the July 2009 Wimbledon tournament as well as the 2009 Davis Cup due to his right knee tendonitis injury. He is currently coached by Francisco Roig and Carlos Moya. Nadal parted ways with his uncle and ex-coach, Toni Nadal in 2017.

He got interested in playing tennis at the young age of 12, and then turned professional at the age of 16 in 2001. His first Grand Slam win was in the year 2005 at the French Open. He currently holds a total of four French Open titles, one Australian Open title, and one Wimbledon. He is also a holder of a Gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Nadal is an aggressive tennis player who has speed and consistency as well as a strong defender due to his wide court coverage. He delivers great topspin, strong left-hand grip and powerful two-handed backhand. He first showed specialization in clay courts when he started playing pro tennis. Now, his court expertise has improved and has even broadened to grass, and hard courts.

Aside from his Grand Slams, Nadal has also made new records in the tennis world. These includes winning the French Open at the first attempt, most titles as a teenager, and most consecutive French Open titles just to name a few. He is young but a brilliant talented tennis player.

Currently, Nadal is known for having won each of the four Grand Slam tournaments. He has 1 Australian Open title, 10 French Open titles, 2 Wimbledon title, and 3 US Open titles. His current career record stands at 881 victories and 186 losses, with 75 career titles. His number of titles ranks him 5th most number of titles in the Open Era. He also has 2 Olympic gold medals: 2008 Beijing and 2016 Rio de Janeiro (doubles). He currently ranks at No. 1.