Rafael Nadal”The King of Clay”
Seven time Grand Slam single winner, 2008 Olympic gold medalist, eighteen time ATP World Tour Masters 1000 winner, five time French Open title winner, and the current No. 1 tennis player in the worldat age 24, Rafael ‘Rafa’ Nadal Parera‘s list of accomplishments is stunning. Ever since he turned pro in 2000, Rafael has earned his nickname as “the King of Clay” for being the greatest clay court player of all time. Born in Manacor, Spain on June 3, 1986, Rafael was introduced to tennis when he was 3 years old and has been coached by his uncle, Toni Nadal, ever since.Ever since 2004, Nadal has had a steady rivalry with previous No. 1 Roger Federer. Some critics even consider their rivalry to be the greatest in tennis historyand it’s easy to see why. Nadal was ranked World No.2 behind Federer for a record 160 consecutive weeks (from 2004-2008) before he earned the top spot in August 2008 in what has been called the greatest match of all time, only to lose it back to Federer in 2009. Nadal regained World No. 1 title on June 7, 2010, much to Federer’s dismay.Nadal’s playing style is a consistent mix of aggressive behind the baseline shots, heavy topspin on ground strokes, consistency, fast footwork, dropshots, and optimal court coverage. His serve, however, is considered a weak point in his game. His racket of choice is the Babolat AeroPro Drive GT Racquet, which has helped him enhance his already perfected shots. Though still considered a clay court specialist, Nadal aces any type court he steps on. He holds grand slam records on grass, hard courts, and clay courts alikeeven winning five Master series titles on hard courts and an Olympic gold medal.Be sure to catch Nadal in his next matches as he continues to improve and compete with Federer for the World No. 1 spot.