Rafael Nadal wrote a long letter to tennis published in full on the portal The Players Tribune. The sagnolo told many anecdotes of his tennis career, some of which are decidedly little known because they are not linked to his most important successes. One of the first episodes that he considers fundamental in his education occurred around the age of 12 when the Spanish tennis player says he learned a lesson that is still imprinted in his mind.
“I’m not sure how old I was exactly but I think I was around 12. At that age I loved going fishing. I love the sea, because I’m from Mallorca, and in my case the sea is part of my life. The feeling of being by the sea, sitting on the rocks with family and friends or on a boat: the disconnection and the peace you feel is something special. If people see me as a perfectionist it’s because of that inner voice. One day I went fishing when I could have trained.
The next day I lost the match. I remember I was crying in the car on the way home, and my uncle, who at that age had a big influence on me, and who was the one who made me fall in love with tennis, said to me: ‘It’s okay, it’s just a tennis match. Don’t cry now, it’s pointless. If you want to fish, you can fish. No problem. But you will lose.
If you want to win, then you have to do what you have to do first. It was a very important lesson for me. If people they see me as a perfectionist, it all comes from that inner voice that called me during the car ride home. That voice has never left me. One day I may be at the beach but today and tomorrow I have to train,” he wrote.
Rafael Nadal, 2024 Paris Olympics © Stream screenshot
In the long light he wrote to tennis Nadal also went into detail about a problem that at 17 could have prematurely ended his career.
“I hurt myself when I was 17 and was told I would probably never play professional tennis again. I learned that things can end in an instant. It wasn’t just a little crack in my foot, it’s a disease. There is no cure, only management. It’s called Mueller-Weiss syndrome. What does it mean? You go from the greatest joy to waking up the next morning unable to walk.
I spent many days at home crying, but it was a great lesson in humility, and I was lucky to have a father – who had a lot of influence in my life – who was always so positive. We will find a solution, he told me. And if we don’t, there are other things in life outside of tennis. Hearing those words, I could barely process it, but thank God, after so much pain, surgeries, rehabilitation and tears, a solution was found and all these years I was able to fight it,” he added.
Nadal then talked about the many moments of joy in his career.
“Tennis is a sport that demands a lot mentally, but there are many moments of joy that I will never forget. The Davis Cup in 2004, Roland-Garros in 2005, of course Wimbledon in 2008. US Open and Melbourne. And I don’t forget those tournaments like Madrid and Barcelona in my country, or Indian Wells, Miami, or Cincinnati or beautiful Monte Carlo, or the special atmosphere in Rome, or Shanghai and Beijing with those amazing fans… Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, my first days in Buenos Aires… so many. I’m full of incredible memories. However, you can never stop pushing yourself. You can never relax. You always have to improve and this has been the constant in my life. To always overcome the limits and improve. This is how I became a better player,” explained.
Nadal© Atp Tour
What I liked most about this letter is how it shows the sense of self-denial and determination of the legendary Spaniard, who made mental strength and resilience two of the strongest factors of his glorious career.
Rafa will be remembered as the greatest on-court tennis player ever, but in my opinion that is not enough to understand the greatness of the Spaniard.
What many have often underestimated throughout his career is the technical and tactical aspect. Rafa was an incredible tennis player and, even if he preferred a certain style of play, I want to make people understand how qualities such as touch and sensitivity were skills that many have always underestimated in him. Only because, probably, Nadal adapted his tennis to the matches against Roger Federer, in the golden age of their rivalry, before the explosion of Novak Djokovic, which effectively occurred in 2011.
Extraordinary qualities, which should be celebrated, Extraordinary qualities, which should be celebrated, which have made – in my opinion – the Spaniard a truly complete tennis player.
Rafael Nadal, Monte Carlo 2016© Stream screenshot
Tennis World USA