Home » “I often say that to be a professional…,” says Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal not projected to win the first two majors in 2022. The Spanish sensation, who had only competed in seven professional tournaments the previous year, stunned everyone by winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros.

The 36-year-old Majorcan reaffirmed his status as a living sports great, having lifted himself at 22 Grand Slams. Roger Federer is still in the mud after undergoing yet another knee surgery, while Novak Djokovic closed the gap by winning his eighth Wimbledon championship.

Given that Nole will hardly be able to travel to the United States next month, Rafa will have a fantastic opportunity to spread out even farther in the US Open (not being vaccinated against Coronavirus). The Iberian needed a few weeks to recover from his stomach injury, but he is now back at work.

The former world number one will compete again in Montreal with the goal of honing his US Open preparation. In the course of a promotional event for the Spanish airline “Iberia,” Nadal offered some guidance to the younger players.

Rafa Nadal is an absolute legend.

After defining brilliance, discussing a prospective coaching career, and paying a touching tribute to his uncle Toni during the outstanding interview he gave to the airline Iberia, Rafael Nadal this time shared the advice he would offer himself if he were a teenager.

“I don’t often give advise, but I always emphasize that if you want to be a professional or devote your life to anything, you must put everything else on hold. Even though I don’t do them as frequently as a typical young person, I still hang out with my friends and enjoy myself, even if my profession has always come before those activities.

I would tell young people to always have fun, to fight for what they want, and to surround themselves with nice people. At the structure, this is what we aim to accomplish with them every day.” Rafael Nadal was significantly influenced by Toni Nadal during his development.

When the 22-time Grand Slam winner was only 4 years old, his uncle gave him tennis lessons. I’ve read in the papers that Toni made me switch to playing with my left hand so that I would be more difficult to play against.

It’s not true, though. It is a fabrication of the media. The fact is that I started playing when I was very young, and I used both hands to hold the racquet on the forehand and backhand because I wasn’t strong enough to hit the ball over the net.