Spaniard Rafael Nadal joined the ranks of professional tennis competition in 2001 and competed in just a single Grand Slam event as a junior competitor. He made it all of the way to the Wimbledon semifinals the following year and went on to win the French Open 4 consecutive times between 2005 and 2008. He also earned a men’s singles gold gong during the 2008 Olympics in China.

Born in Manacor, Spain he caught a tennis racquet for the first time when he was just three years of age. Being a previous tennis player, his uncle Toni introduced him to the game and, as his coach, had a big influence on his development. Later he would serve as Rafael’s coach on the professional tour.

Though he was naturally right-handed, his early playing methodology featured a two-handed backhand and forehand. At the age of 12, his uncle encouraged a more traditional left-handed style. The result was a two-handed backhand and an one-handed forehand that would become his signature stroke and ultimately raise him to celebrity status.

His win over Andy Roddick, who was ranked second at the time, was pivotal in Spain’s win over the US in the 2004 Davis Cup.

As a featured player on the Association of Executives tour in 2005, he became rivals with Swiss player Roger Federer, who was the number 1 ranked rival at the time. That year he upset Federer during the semifinals and went on to win the French Open in his first appearance at Roland Garros. He beat Federer in the finals in 2006 to record his second successive French Open victory.

His eleven contest wins in 2005 was a record for teen male players. After besting his Swiss rival for a 4th sequential title at Roland Garros he beat him at Wimbledon in a final match that took almost 5 hours to finish. That victory made him the 1st man to collect Wimbledon and French Open victories in the same year since 1980 when Bjorn Borg accomplished the feat.

He took the #1 ranking from the Swiss pro in 2008, the same year he won the gold gong for men’s singles in the Beijing Olympics. He finished a job Grand Slam in 2010 when he won his first U. S. Open title.

Rafael Nadal gives back to his country thru the philanthropic efforts of a foundation that bears his name. Established in 2008, the foundation focuses on providing development aid for underprivileged youngsters in Spain.

Matt Harmon has been an avid tennis player for 25
years. His passion is to highlight and
follow the greatest tennis players of all time like Rafael Nadal, also known as Rafa.