Only a boy sport allows uniquely equipped to practice, just gone through the teenage years, to achieve international glory in their field and earn a fortune of millions. The case of Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, professional since age 15, who at 19 and ranked second worldwide in the ranking of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and at 22, has become the number 1 in the world.

Rafael Nadal Parera was born on June 3, 1986 in the Majorcan town of Manacor, where Nadal form a large family rooted in the island since the fourteenth century.The patriarch of the series is named after his grandson, Rafael, and is a big music fan who runs the city’s orchestra. Nadal is the son of Sebastian, director of a company that builds paddle and organizes sporting events and Ana Maria Parera, and has a sister, Elizabeth, her most enthusiastic fan. Antonio was his uncle, Toni, who walked the path of tennis, to become their coach and representative.

A young talent

Although the child was given a better bike (at age four Toni practiced with him for several hours a day) that football (not in vain child of Spain champion at age eleven and fourteen of the World) , lured by the wake of his other uncle, Miquel Angel Nadal international footballer are increasingly excited by football. Toni tried to cut short this indecision and ordered him to drop out at 4 ESO to devote himself exclusively to tennis, to the chagrin mother: “Rafa turned pro too soon. At first I had really bad, but eventually realized it was impossible to combine studies with their sporting careers. “.

He enrolled at the ATP in late 2001, ranked 818. He was only fifteen years and now belonged to the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. However, did not play his first professional game until April 29, 2002 in the Mallorca Open, defeating Ramon Delgado of Paraguay.

Should debut at Roland Garros in 2003, but an elbow injury thwarted his desire. The following year, a crack in the scaphoid of his left foot that kept him on crutches from April to July, also prevented the tournament play. So we designed a specific plan for the prevention of injury “to reveal all the physical qualities of the player, which are genetic,” said Angel Ruiz-Coto. The Medical Federation began working with the family Nadal and the player’s trainer, Joan Forcades, with an average of three annual controls. The doctor stated, after the first test: “He has the endurance of a marathon, but at the same time, it is explosive.”

The last half of 2004 was especially hard: in the process of recovery in the pace of the competition only won the tournament in Sopot (Poland). But he finished the season becoming the youngest player to win the Davis Cup. Nadal beat American Andy Roddick, and his friend and mentor Carlos Moya finished the job, so that Spain could win the second Davis Cup history.

Roland Garros champion

Despite being a rookie in 2005 was made in Paris as the betting favorite. Not for nothing until that date, from January to June, had won five titles on clay popularity: Costa do Sauipe (Brazil), Acapulco, Monte Carlo Masters Series, the Conde de Godo ‘trophy and the Masters Series Rome, a feat that, in the same season and at that age, had only managed to Andre Agassi in 1988. In number of shares of the 2005 season only preceded him by one the world number one Roger Federer who however defeated in the semifinals at Roland Garros, precisely on June 3, the birthday of Nadal.

In the end, not without some trouble, beat Nadal in four sets to Argentine Mariano Puerta, who had conducted a flawless tournament. He handed the trophy, in the presence of King Juan Carlos, his football idol, Zinedine Zidane, then, despite all his family is from Barcelona, Rafael is a fan of Real Madrid.

That victory made him the second rookie who won at Roland Garros, after Swede Mats Wilander, who won in 1982 with only seventeen. And above all, rose to the absolute limits his popularity and charisma, so much so that one month after the sponsoring company Havas Sport claimed in its bimonthly survey tennis player had become the most popular sports in Spain, displacing Fernando Alonso in the first position and the footballer David Beckham for the second. To make matters worse, the Association of the United States Tennis (USTA United States Tennis Association) announced that it would promote its summer tournaments emphasis on Nadal’s image, dubbed the “wonder boy”, a nickname also associated with the star Michael Phelps swimming.

For its part, Nike spokesman, the firm that sponsored it, said he wanted to convert to Nadal in the Tiger Woods of tennis, and was willing to give a blank check to improve the contract was from sixteen years to turn the icon of the company in the tennis field. It was the first time a player occupying the privileged position of popularity in Spain.The truth was that Alonso, Dani Pedrosa and Nadal were changing the trend of young Spanish fans, whose idols were focused until recently on the world of football.

To the number 1

The victory in the Grand Slam tournament Nadal clinched the third position of the ATP rankings, behind Federer and Lleyton Hewitt, who dispute the final of Wimbledon with Swiss victory after losing to Nadal early exchange. He also became the first Spanish man entering the top ten with only nineteen and chained 24 consecutive victories on clay.

His goal was to get to number one, while recognizing that before it had an almost impenetrable wall, the Swiss Federer, who, according to experts, was destined to become the greatest player of all time. That ambition was good, but his uncle Toni will not let the smoke go up to the head and, after his triumph at Roland Garros, he warned: “Your level of play is still not perfect, you’re a good player, but still must confirm that you will be one of the great. “For the moment, in July 2005 won in Bastad (Sweden) and Stuttgart (Germany), and scored 34 consecutive wins on clay, and in October won his eleventh title of the year (also won in Montreal and Beijing) by winning Masters Series Madrid.

In March 2006, shortly after return from injury that had kept him sidelined for four months in Dubai reached his first title this year. Subsequently, revalidated success at the Masters Series Monte Carlo, Barcelona in the Masters Series Rome and Roland Garros. To claim his second win in Paris, beat Swede Robin Soderling, American Kevin Kim, the Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic and the Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the final, Federer ( 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6).

This last game was a new chapter in the duel that Nadal and Federer maintained by the global primacy and that year had clearly opted Spanish side (his wins in those tournaments UAE, Monaco and Italy also had been realized to beat in their respective finals to Federer). Nadal got a major record in France: May 29, to beat Soderling won his fifty-fourth consecutive game on clay, surpassing the 53-game unbeaten on the surface since 1977, owned by Argentine Guillermo Vilas (Nadal not be defeated on clay until May 20, 2007, when it fell in the final of Masters Series in Hamburg to Federer, after a series of 81 games victory over the floor). Soon after, Nadal had an outstanding performance at Wimbledon, was a finalist, but this time Federer kept him from winning the victory. In the year 2006, he was granted his country the gold medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit.

In the first half of 2007, won the Masters Series Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, and for the third consecutive year the Conde de Godo Barcelona, the Masters Series Rome and Roland Garros. Paris reached its third crown showing a remarkable control over his subsequent rival Juan Martin del Potro, Italian Flavio Cipolla, Spanish Albert Montanes, Hewitt, Moya, Djokovic and Federer, who beat Nadal in the final again with a result 6-3, 4-6 (Spanish only set that yielded in the tournament), 6-3, 6-4. Shortly later, as happened last season, both repeated on Wimbledon final, with victory for the Swiss. During the year 2007, Nadal also won the tournament in Stuttgart. He finished the year once again in second place in the ATP rankings.

The year 2008 will be remembered as his number 1. He began in bad shape, but also showed poor performance at that time Federer had dreamed feasible goal. He won for the fourth time two tournaments: the Masters in Monte Carlo and the Conde de Godo, and defeated Federer twice in two consecutive finals: the Master Series Hamburg and Roland Garros. Scored new victories in the London Queen’s Club and won again to Federer in the Wimbledon final in a match that lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes and was considered the best in tennis history. And another victory in what became Canada Masters, finally, the best player in the world as ranked by the ATP.

His self-confidence, confidence in himself, not ever give any points for lost, its extraordinary strength and perseverance are some of the keys to his unstoppable success. The strict discipline imposed by your uncle does not stop practicing her great hobbies: computer games, Formula 1, music (Bon Jovi, ManĂ¡, Brian Adams …), golf, and especially fishing. Within the track projects an image that brings many benefits in advertising contracts as provided by your profession. Luce tank tops that expose their strong muscles, and capri pants, the first of that design wearing a tennis player in the field.

Rafael Nadal Chronology

1986:

Born in Manacor, Mallorca.

2002:

His studies to devote himself exclusively to tennis, he practiced from 4 years old by the hand of his uncle and coach Toni Nadal. Plays his first professional match at the Open de Mallorca.

2003:

Debuts in two Grand Slam tournaments (Wimbledon and U.S. Open), but injuries hinder its progression.

2004:

After beating Andy Roddick in the final against the United States, becomes the youngest player to win the Davis Cup. Win the Sopot tournament.

2005:

Is devoted to getting his first Roland Garros semi-final after defeating Roger Federer. Also earn another ten tournaments and reached the second position in the ATP rankings.

2006:

After recovering from an injury, won the Roland Garros and reached the Wimbledon final, which falls against Federer.

2007:

History Repeats at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Earn a total of six tournaments.

2008:

Wins fourth Roland Garros for the first time at Wimbledon, defeating Federer in both cases in the final. In August, becomes the best player in the world as ranked by the ATP.

Past Results of Rafael Nadal

The impressive list of Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal included, at 22 years, a total of 34 singles titles, five Grand Slam tournaments, twelve and thirteen ATP Masters Series ATP Tour.

Grand Slam Tournaments:

• Roland Garros: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Wimbledon: 2008

ATP Masters Series tournaments

• Monte Carlo: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Rome: 2005, 2006, 2007
• Montreal: 2005
• Madrid: 2005
• Indian Wells: 2007
• Hamburg: 2008
• Toronto: 2008

ATP Tour

• Sopot: 2004
• Costa do Sauipe: 2005
• Acapulco: 2005
• Conde de Godo (Barcelona): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Bastad: 2005
• Stuttgart: 2005, 2007
• China Open (Beijing) 2005
• Dubai: 2006
• London Queen’s Club: 2008

Davis Cup

• In 2004 he was part of the Spanish team that won the Davis Cup. Spain defeated the United States (3-2) in the final, where Nadal beat Andy Roddick.

Double

• To this must be added the ATP Tour doubles tournament in Umag (2003, with Alex Lopez), Chennai (2004, with Tommy Robredo) and Doha (2005, with Albert Costa). His last victory was the ATP Doubles Masters Series Monte Carlo (2008, with Tommy Robredo).

ATP Ranking

• Held the second position in the ATP rankings since July 25, 2005 until August 4, 2008, when they went on to become the number 1.