Rafael Nadal is undoubtedly the hard worker among the ‘Big 3.’ In all the years that Rafa, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic dominated, the Spaniard devoted maximum time to practice. Though Nadal walked over in the 2022 semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championships due to this injury, he didn’t stop playing. His long break came only after his second-round loss at the Australian Open this year.
Rafa held the record of finishing the year as the top seed thrice in three decades. He is the only player, to achieve this record. His mantra to success has always been hard work. Nadal explained the thrill behind hard work and why chose this way.
Rafael Nadal reveals why it is important for him to work hard
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Apart from being the ‘King of Clay,’ Rafa is also the king of hard work and preached it like no other. One of the most skillful players in tennis relies more on the factor that he can control, his hard work. Nadal has always urged people to give their maximum effort in their work. Skill, expertise, efficiency, etc., are the outcomes and bonuses that are acquired
In his autobiography, ‘Rafa,’ written along with leading journalist John Carlin, Nadal explained hard work and why he believes in it. Rafa wrote, “One lesson I’ve learnt is that if the job I do were easy, I wouldn’t derive so much satisfaction from it. The thrill of winning is in direct proportion to the effort I put in before.”
📖💛 #Vamos #Rafa #MyStory #Nadal #King pic.twitter.com/dvymEEz25s
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Illustrating ‘not feeling it,’ the 22 times Grand Slam champion penned, “I also know, from long experience, that if you make an effort in training when you don’t especially feel like making it, the payoff is that you will win games when you are not feeling your best.”?The former ATP No. 1 asserted that hard work separates a champion from a player.
Rafa knew what he had to do to make it big since he was a kid
The memoir of the 92 singles titles winner preserved the words, “That is how you win Championships, that is what separates a great player from a merely good player. The difference lies in how well you have prepared.”?Nadal proved his belief in the post-match conference when he won the first round of the 2019 French Open.
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The Spaniard disclosed to the world that he was a hard worker since childhood. He revealed that since his left foot injury in 2005, he changed how he approached the game. The 37-year-old said that he has always tracked his hours of practice. If he practiced for fewer hours, he would do it with high intensity, compensating for the long hours of less intense practice.
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Nadal always found ways to improve his game on the court, and that is what kept him alive and passionate throughout his 23 years of career as a legendary professional. Even for the highly anticipated comeback, Nadal wants to be in his best form, winning matches like he always did than returning just for the sake of it. Can’t wait to see Rafa ruling the court, let us know in the comments below.
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