“The Child Man”
There's a viral video of 13-year-old Rafael Nadal looking baby-faced after winning Les Petits As in France. The clip is adorable. When interviewed on court and asked about his future plans, Nadal said: "Keep practicing. I think this tournament is very important, but just because I won doesn't mean I'll be very good. I need to keep practicing, and we'll see."
Nadal was certainly a phenomenon, a talented teenager. He turned professional at 14, won his first ATP title at 15. But it wasn’t just the Spaniard’s unique tennis ability that was predicted from a young age. It was something even more difficult in very young athletes: Character. Humility. Discipline!
By most accounts, Nadal has developed into the most ferocious and relentless competitor the tennis world has ever seen. That he is considered one of the two or three greatest players of all time (a debate the Spaniard has always tried to sidestep) is largely due to his relentlessness, focus and determination to improve. From an early age, Nadal had the ability, even the need, to play every point as if it were his last. There are no guarantees of victory – or of greatness.
The Spaniard's physical power and tenacity are formidable, and Nadal has been formidable, even ferocious, on court. But that aggression belies the modest, gentle, thoughtful and empathetic man off the court. It's as if the Mallorcan has a dual personality.
Since Nadal’s first US Open in 2003, when he arrived in New York, his reputation has grown among connoisseurs who have heard of his early success on the clay courts in Europe. Before Nadal played his first match at Flushing Meadows, Nadal was seen patiently and kindly chatting with the elderly Latina ladies serving lunch. He addressed each of them in Spanish as if he were talking to his grandmother, always polite and respectful when ordering his favorite dish, pasta and shrimp.
And on the court, the 17-year-old was exactly what he was advertised to be: a whirlwind of ferocity and unquenchable determination. His forehand spiraled, chasing every ball, even those that seemed out of control, turning impossible defensive positions into attacks in the blink of an eye. He leaped high into the air and swung his left fist with terrifying intensity. The first glimpse of the young man, the “man child” with an incredibly mature game, left a deep impression—especially since it seemed such a stark contrast to the quiet, gentle young man from the day before in the lunch line.
The qualities that define Nadal
Paul Annacone, who has coached Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, recently discussed the qualities that make a champion, speaking specifically of Nadal. He said a player needs first and foremost physical talent, strength and mobility—a skill set that most athletes are born with. Second is mental strength, essentially the ability to not let emotions get the best of them. And third is heart: an unquenchable desire to compete.
That last quality defines Nadal entirely within the geometry of a tennis court. Unlike some players who come from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds, the Spaniard comes from a well-off middle-class family, a life of luxury on an idyllic Balearic island. Yet Nadal plays tennis as if all that is at stake.
Off the court, Nadal is known for his humble demeanor and consistent courtesy to fans, ball boys, and even journalists. Carrying his own bag. Signing countless autographs. Never throwing a racket or throwing a tantrum. Not for show or to burnish his image. This is the man Nadal was raised to be. Under the direction of his coach and mentor Uncle Toni, Rafa was never allowed to think he was better than anyone else. He never took his privileges for granted.
Andre Agassi once said of Nadal: "He's a guy who you can tell over the years has handled himself with class, dignity and humility. That's really genuine."
In a world of pampered superstar athletes, Nadal is the warrior right next door. Sure, after amassing a string of major titles and a fortune, he fished on a luxury yacht and built a beachfront mansion, but the trappings of a global superstar are few and far between. Nadal seems to have remained unchanged since his meteoric rise to fame.
Nadal frequently expresses self-doubt. About his game, his chances, his health, his place in history. Immersed in a unique 15-year rivalry with Federer, Nadal never hesitates to call the Swiss “the best in history” – even though he has won more.
Fighting through pain and adversity
Nadal has played through pain and adversity for much of his career. In 2022, he won his 14th French Open title despite having to receive daily painkiller injections in his leg. In the face of repeated defeats, Nadal has embedded quite a bit of philosophy into his sayings, using language that sometimes echoes the tenets of Zen Buddhism: Essentially, suffering exists, and resolving it requires acceptance of one's fate, deep concentration, ethical behavior, and mindfulness.
"You have to be humble enough to go through this process and accept that you have to fight, and you have to accept that you have to suffer," Nadal said at the 2022 US Open.
After completing perhaps the greatest comeback of his career in the 2022 Australian Open final, against Daniil Medvedev, and winning his 21st major title at the age of 35, Nadal spoke not about tactics or how hard he fought, but about inner peace. "It's important to have real humility inside, not false humility, to accept that (when) things aren't always good, bad moments are better tolerated."
Nadal has missed (or withdrawn from) 16 Grand Slams — that’s four years — due to injury. By comparison, Federer has missed nine and Novak Djokovic four (though three of those four were due to COVID-19 restrictions). Including majors and the ATP Masters, Nadal has missed 48, Federer 25 and Djokovic just 15.
The Spaniard admits that injuries have hampered him throughout his career, but he also accepts that they are simply issues beyond his control. Nadal never dwells on what-ifs. As for what his major and Masters titles might have been had he not suffered so many injuries, Nadal simply says: "If, if. If doesn't exist."
Nadal, instead, focuses on what he can control. How he prepares. How hard he plays each point. How hard he works to improve. Reflecting on the impending twilight of his career at the end of 2023, when he will be sidelined and will miss three of the year’s four majors, Nadal says: “One of the keys to continuing to play tennis is that I accept success and failure equally. Nothing is too big and nothing is too bad; there are good times and there are bad times.”
Kindness and a quiet greeting
When Nadal defeated Federer in the 2009 Australian Open final, Federer broke down in tears, unable to finish his speech. Federer stepped down, and Nadal stepped forward to save the “Express Train”. Instead of taking the mic and celebrating another big win, Nadal, then 22, approached Federer and put his arm around his opponent’s neck, forcing the Swiss to respond in kind. Nadal whispered words of encouragement, and Federer calmed down.
The Spaniard did not want to let his friend suffer such public embarrassment. It was a remarkable moment, an act of instinctive generosity from the young Nadal.
Nadal played his final match in Rome earlier this year, a tournament he has won 10 times. Asked about his legacy, knowing his career was coming to an end, he said: “I think as a player I just want to be remembered for the results I achieved. As a person I hope to be remembered as a positive example of respect, courtesy and being a good person.”
After Nadal held a press conference following his fourth US Open title and 19th major title of 2019 — beating Medvedev in four hours and 50 minutes — he sat patiently answering questions in English for nearly an hour. Then came the Spanish press corps. The meeting lasted that long. When it was over, Nadal limped wearily out of the press room. Most of the reporters had left when Nadal suddenly walked through a side door.
He walked over to the typist, a middle-aged woman who was still scribbling down his remarks to send over the line. Nadal politely put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm so sorry I forgot to say goodbye. Thank you for everything you did. I hope to see you again next year."
And with that, and no one else around to witness that simple act of kindness, Rafael Nadal quietly left the stage...
