Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parerais a Spanish professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 4. He is widely regarded as the greatest clay-court player in history, and owing to his dominance and success on the surface, he has been titled "The King of Clay". His evolution into an all-court threat has established him as one of the greatest players in tennis history, with some considering Nadal to be the greatest player of all time...
NationalitySpanish
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth3 June 1986
CityManacor, Spain
CountrySpain
It should not be a child's only goal to become the best player in the world. That would be a bad, a harmful attitude.
It's important for the young players to practice other ball games as well, basketball or table tennis. On the tennis court, you can improve your eye through a kind of overexertion.
Tennis is beautiful when you can see tactics, when players don't just react but are able to act and think.
I think it is unbelievable to win against the best player in the world - perhaps the best in the history of the game. It was also special because I was out of the game for more than three months. I cried because I was happy.
The US player Andy Roddick reaches speeds of 220 kilometers per hour when he serves. If I train with him every day, I will later be at an advantage against a player whose service crosses the net at 190 kilometers per hour.
Some people may learn something from the way I play tennis. But there are also players who are better than me in certain techniques.
I became a player who goes to a lot of effort while training, who can rely on his will and his mental strengths.
It is no longer enough to play very well. You need to be able to give an answer at all times and everywhere. You cannot hide. This has something to do with maturity, and that is something you only acquire over the years.
The favorite is always the No. 1. I can win. Blake can win. But the favorite is the No. 1.
It?s already a great feeling to be third on the list. To get past Borg, I will have to reach the final in Barcelona next week. It won?t be easy. I could lose any day. But if I am 100 per cent I know I have a great chance of winning.
I do notice that I am tired.
The young athletes are supposed to mature, to improve their personality.
The worst thing is to play too defensively. I need to play with more intensity and be aggressive. If I do that, I'm going to do well because my touch is good.
He played good and aggressive. In difficult moments, he always had the confidence to win the point, how to play the point well. I fought all match.