BIOGRAPHY Rafael Nadal, born on June 3, 1986 in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain, is a Spanish professional tennis player who has been ranked World No. 1 since August 18, 2008.
Born to a family of football and tennis players, his uncle, Toni Nadal, a former professional tennis player, introduced him to tennis when he was three years old. Toni spotted that Nadal had a natural talent for tennis, and at eight he won an under-12 year regional tennis championship at a time where he was also a promising football player. Nadal's father made him choose between football and tennis so that his school work would not suffer. Nadal said: "I chose tennis. Football had to stop straight away". Indeed, he made the right choice. Nadal made his debut in 2002 ranked 235th then move up No. 47 the following year. He was the second 16-year-old player to break into the top 100 in the ATP entry system, after Michael Chang (june 6, 1988). In his Wimbledon debut in 2003, he reached the third round; at 17, he was the youngest player to do so since 16-year-old Boris Becker in 1984.
As of 2009, Nadal has won six Grand Slam singles titles and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. He has captured the last four French Open singles titles, joining Björn Borg in 2008 as the only man to have won four consecutive singles titles there. In 2008, Nadal became the second Spaniard to win Wimbledon. Nadal is the only player in the open era to have won the French Open, the London Queen's club, and Wimbledon in the same year. In 2009, Nadal became the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open and the fourth male tennis player—behind Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander and Andre Agassi—to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces.
Used to spend time training hours and hours on court, Rafa is better equipped than the other young players. Juan-Carlos Ferrero praised, “He’s very sturdy and he already has the physique to endure all of the efforts.” Efforts which Rafael is ready to give without any doubts because he knows they are the conditions of his success. View GALLERY:
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