Spanish Version
Meteoric it is the word to describe the tennis career of RAFA NADAL. Passing from
being a promising youth player to be become the nº 2 of the world, was only a
question of some years. Rod Laver, the great world champion and legend of the
tennis, said, after Nadal won his first Roland Garros,"If it was not for Roger Federer,
Nadal would be the best player in the world".
Educated and grown in a family of
sportsmen, all aimed in his favor. Soon he would leave to the Iberic Peninsula to
participate in tournaments and surprisingly to win them. His uncle Toni quick saw
in Rafa as the champion that aimed high and encouraged him to continue, luckily
for our tennis, since Rafa could play well any sport, especially soccer, the one
in which his other uncle, Miguel Angel, was a great international figure.
What could lack in Rafa initially, in his international launch, he overcame it
with his natural athletic talent, moved fast and did not give apoint for lost. Rafa
has an
excellent eye that accompanies the ability to see the ball, to arrive at her
and to strike it toward a point that surprises to the opponent. His coordination is
notable and he is extremely fast in his displacements .
The victories did not come slowly, but all the contrary, fast and one after the
other, obtaining consecutive records year after year. He already possesses the
title of the best player of Balearic islands of all time. Dressed in a personal
way, he gives the image that he is the boss on the court and that attitude does not
abandon him until the final score, he has nerve, fire and temper in his game,
surpassing in many occasions results in which others would have abandoned the
encounter.
THE FOREHAND SHOT
Without a doubt the "drive" is his best stroke from the baseline. Has rhythm and
bite. The ball displaces itself toward the corners or comes against the opponent
due to the strong spin "lifted" that he imposes. His grip "extrem western" allows
him to hit the ball with maximum power, obliges the ball to enter the court from any
angle. Rafa can be disconcerting because his opponents do not expect, in many
occasions, the return of their best blows, not being been accustomed to Rafas
particular style of play from the baseline. The rhythm and the velocity he creates
as he gives it more or less lift to the ball. Rafa is a baseline player by
excellence and his forehand shot is the weapon with which he prepares his strategy
of attack. Parallel blows or cross, with great depth, they maintain to the opponent
on the bottom of the court, taking advantage of any faulty return from the opponent
to concluye the point. This theory is proven by his victories on clay.
THE BACKHAND
The name of Rafa you shows as one of the better players in the world. To obtain
this distinction, a player cannot have a weak point. If I say that its backhand is
not up to par with his forehand, I do not intend to disdain it. His backhand is the
envy of any young champion of today. It is not a defensive blow and passes
extremely well any assailant in at the net. Nevertheless, when he is embroiled in a
fight of backhand to backhand, from the baseline, he is satisfied with just
returning the ball deep and to the angles. His tactic in these cases, contrary to
any assailant, is based on the control and to try to displace to the contrary to
conclude the blow with the right. In contrast to his forehand, where he has a long
and fluid action of the racquet, with the backhand he is short and dry, especially
when cutting the ball with a "slice", there is no long movements or slowed down that
can cause to predict the intention of the stroke. Nadal utilizes his wrist action,
as much in his backhand as in his forehand, in them lifted, flat or slices.
THE VOLLEY
Nadal is essentially a baseline player that only goes to the net when he is
presented a clear occasion. He never serves and volleys. His approach shots
pressure so much the opponents that, when he goes to the net, all he has to do is to
place the ball or, in many occasions, he plays a drop-volley nailing the adversary.
THE OVERHEAD SMASH
Nadal possesses a deadly overhead. It is not a gunshot, but never fails and always
deceives the opponent. It is a good finisher and he chooses well the place where to
put the ball. Saying that he is agile is little, his athletic body is one of his
large advantages. His legs are as agile as those of a player of basket and as
strong as those of a footballer.
The action in this blow is short, as in the other shots. He Simply holds the
racquet behind his back, with the wrist closed and strikes the ball toward where
wants it to go. The entire shot is distinguished for its effectivness, the majority
of players seem stuck to the court compared to him.
<THE SERVICE
In spite of the fact that its service has great velocity and liveliness, this is not
his best shot, if it was Nadal would be without a doubt the best player in the
world. A service based especially in the lift effect subtracts velocity to the
ball, although it is effective on clay, because the ball bounces higher. Nadal
obtains better results with his second serve than with the first one, he applies a
greater "twist" or effect of rotation to the ball, placing it where he wants with a
very high bounce. In itself, this action is simple and clean, avoiding that the
adversary approach the net on the return. Although his service is far distant from
being deadly he can "Ace" any player that tries to guess the direction of the ball.
NADAL THE MAN
Nadal was born in Manacor, in a family environment of sportsmen, he likes soccer and
in fact would be able to have been a great player, luckily for the Spanish tennis he
chose this sport. Since childhood, observing him training in the Princes of Spain
tennis courts, it was notable his dedication and effort on the court. He worked and
it was work that has carried him to the top of the tennis world, honoring the phrase
"nothing is obtained without effort". All the players are in perfect physical
condition when they reach the summit of their career. They should be.
Nevertheless, few of them have all the necessary attributes that compose the perfect
athlete. Some they have the disadvantage of their hight, others are too muscular,
others by being to tall have difficulty to move. Many are too fragile to endure
five sets. Injuries put an end to the career of many. Nadal arrived at the summit
in perfect physical state, perhaps a marked emphasis his conditioning has caused him
some problems ultimately, but, as well as has he is known to surpass large
challenges, this will be one more than he Hill without doubt overcome. You never
see Nadal to commit infractions in the tennis court neither out of it. Player with
a great charisma, he likes to take care of his friendships and in his future as a
tennis player only one goal remains: Being the Nº 1.
Pascual Maroto Encinas
Profesor Nacional de Tenis
Master en Psicología Deportiva.
Mallorca.España
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