Rafael Nadal: Why He Is the Dominant Player in the Game
For those who love the game of tennis, there are certain names that just roll off your tongue when you talk of the greats of the game. Billie Jean King...John McEnroe...Ivan Lendl...Martina Navratilova...Serena Williams...Roger Federer...Rafael Nadal...
In the early 2000s, the world was introduced to a young tennis player from Manacor, Spain. He came on the scene and began to take the tennis world by storm. He has continued on that path and has now become one of the most recognized names in tennis.
In this slideshow, I'll provide key points as to why Rafael Nadal dominates the game of tennis.
Uncle Toni
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For anyone who watches Rafa play, you know uncle Toni is a certainty in his box. Family is very important to Rafa, both personally and professionally. Uncle Toni, a former professional tennis player himself, recognized Rafa's tennis skills early on. He began working with him, and as the saying goes, the rest is history. He has helped and continues to help Rafa be the best on the court.
Agility on the Court
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It is hard to find the words to express how well Rafa maneuvers around the tennis court. He reigns when it comes to playing offense, defense, hitting on the run, etc. In a nutshell, he can be and usually is his opponent's extreme challenge because he is so agile. What is your most vivid memory of Rafa's agility on the court? Lasting memory, yes?
Calmness
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I came across two definitions for the "calmness." One referred to the "steadiness of mind under stress," and the other referred to the "state of freedom from storm or disturbance." Both describe what it's like as you watch Rafa during a match. His ability to control his emotions is amazing. Whether he just lost a match, was behind and had to battle back, or just won a match, he seems so cool under pressure.
Note: Now, he does have moments of excitement.
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Tenacity
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When you look over Rafa's career, you cannot help but observe his determination on the court. He's played injured, he's played sick, he's been down and battled back and the list could go on. But through it all, he never gives up. He's a fighter.
He's Still Young
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Simply put, he still has time to continue making tennis history. Go Rafa!
Focus
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For me, Rafa's focus is evident any time he's giving an interview, in addition to his actual on-court performance. Whenever he's asked about rankings, any upcoming matches or anything beyond the match at hand, Rafa always brings the conversation back to the present moment.
He lives and plays in the moment, allowing him to direct his physical and mental strength into the task or tasks at hand.
Training
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I came across a good interview with Rafa in Men's Fitness where he talks about his physical and nutritional regiment when asked about the 2008 Wimbledon tournament.
You can check out the piece at: http://www.mensfitness.com/sports/athletes/rafael-nadal.
It shows how important training is to Rafa.
Respect and Honesty
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Rafa is probably one of the most humble players in tennis. He respects himself, he respects the game, he respects the officials and he respects his fellow players. And when he's in a discussion related to any of them, he's always open and honest.
A great example of his honesty and respect is a comment that he made about this year's French Open where he gives Novak Djokovic the nod as the favorite to win it all on the men's side at this year's tournament (by the way, Novak gives Rafa the nod). He's the defending champion, you might add. How and why would he be doing this? Simple. We are talking about Rafa, and that is who he is.
Passion
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Watch Rafa play and it is so easy to see someone who loves the game of tennis. Rafa sums up his thoughts about passion in a quote he made:
"If you lack passion, you will not find victory."
Ability To Play on and Dominate All Surfaces
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As we all know, Rafa is referred to as the "King of Clay." However, he plays and wins on grass and hard court as well. One of his many tennis records is winning Grand Slams on three different surfaces in the same year.
Surfaces do not hinder Rafa's winning ways.
Conclusion
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Rafa is indeed the most dominant player in the game who still has quite a bit of amazing tennis to showcase to the world.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
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