Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has finally named his childhood hero, and it’s not what you think it is. 22-time Grand Slam champion, also known as the ultimate King of Clay, retired from professional tennis after the Davis Cup.
However, Rafael Nadal has now revealed his childhood hero, and unlike other athletes who have their ideal in the sporting industry only, he is a bit different. In a recent interview, Nadal shared that his childhood heroes are real people around him rather than sports stars.”
As per the King of Clay, his childhood heroes were the people he knew in real life. He even went ahead to name a few, including one fellow Spaniard from Mallorca.
Rafael Nadal said, “I was not a kid who really had sports idols. I suppose it has to do with my Mallorcan character. My heroes were people I knew in real life. But when I was 12 years old, I got to play with Carlos Moyà for the first time. A fellow Spaniard, also from Mallorca. The French Open champion and the first Spanish player to be #1.
That’s not all; Nadal further talked about playing tennis with Carlos Moya, which remained an unforgettable experience for him. At that time, tennis was transforming from something more than just a child’s game.
The game with Carlos got him “dreaming a bit more” about playing at Roland Garros one day. Well, little did that young Rafael Nadal know he would one day be called the King of Clay, bagging Roland Garros a record 14 times.
Continuing further, he added, “I was so nervous just to hit some balls with him. It was an unforgettable experience, a window to another world. Tennis was transforming from something that was just for fun—a child’s game—to a real goal to do for a living. It got me dreaming a bit more. One day, maybe I can play at Roland-Garros.”
His final event was the Davis Cup quarterfinals, where he represented Spain against the Netherlands, losing his last official match to Botic Van De Zandschulp.
With that being said, Nadal’s retirement upset the tennis world; however, his illustrious career will always remain a legacy for up-and-coming young players to look forward to.
