He was 15 years old, but already had the trademark spirit that brought him all the way to the World No. 1 position where he stands today. It was a Monday, the 17th of September in 2001. The clay of the Real Club de Tenis Betis was burning early in the morning. An unranked youngster, who was already touted to carry an enormous potential, was about to debut at an ATP Challenger Tour event, in search of his first point in the Emirates ATP Rankings. His name was Rafael Nadal. "Who’s your opponent?" "A wildcard… Rafael Nadal." "Oh! That guy plays well, but he’s really young." This conversation is remembered by Israel Matos Gil, Rafa’s opponent in the first round,...
After his 2016 season, few predicted that Rafael Nadal would be returning to No. 1 on 21 August 2017. The Spanish star had to end his 2016 season early because of a nagging left wrist injury, yet here he is, back at the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings. Spanish tennis legends, as well as current players from Spain, talked with ATPWorldTour.com about Nadal's ascension to the top. Read more stories in our Rafa Returns To No. 1 tribute... Rafael Nadal: The Humble Champion Coach Roig: 'Rafa Has Been Through A Lot' The Day Nadal Won His First Emirates ATP Rankings Point Manolo Santana “Rafa is a fighter, a warrior, and has always managed to show his best level after...
A tennis champion is one who doesn’t just win matches, collects trophies or plays in an aesthetically pleasing way, but in the eyes of fans globally embodies professionalism, commitment and sportsmanship on and off the court. In an era when superlatives are thrown around, when players are categorised and all-time lists are compiled, there are those gilded few, in living memory, from Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are lionised. Not just for who they are, but what they represent. Nadal has sat on a pedestal, living in the spotlight for much of the past 17 years – from the tennis prodigy who practised three times a week from the age of 14 with...
Rafael Nadal remains on course to lift a record 31st ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown and second Cincinnati title on Friday by reaching the Western & Southern Open quarter-finals. The top seed and 2013 champion knocked out his Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(1), 6-2 in one hour and 38 minutes mid-afternoon at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. He will now rest and prepare to meet Australian Nick Kyrgios later today. Nadal leads 2-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, ahead of their first hard-court meeting. [GROUP POLL]67[/GROUP POLL] "I'm very happy to be in the quarter-finals," said Nadal. "It was a tough match this afternoon against Albert, and now [it will be] another very, very difficult match against Kyrgios....
Get the change out of that! Nick Kyrgios fires two powerful Hot Shots past Ivo Karlovic at the Western & Southern Open on Friday. Watch live matches at tennistv.com.