Rafael Nadal Biography

The professional tennis player Rafael Nadal was born Rafael Nadal Parera in 1986 in Manacor, Balearic Islands, Spain. As a child, Rafael began to exhibit natural athletic talents from an early age; his uncle, a former professional tennis player, introduced him to the sport when he was only three years old, and by the time Rafael was eight he had already begun to win regional championships. Throughout his childhood, Nadal played both football and tennis, although by the time he was a teenager it was clear that tennis would become the sport he’d choose to pursue professionally.

By the time he was fifteen, Rafael Nadal had turned professional, and began to compete on the ITF junior circuit. At seventeen, he became one of the youngest male competitors to reach the third round at Wimbledon, and at nineteen, Nadal won the French Open as a first-time player, a feat which had not been witnessed in over twenty years. Since that time, Rafael Nadal has risen to become one of the world’s most recognizable tennis players, currently ranking at number eight and considered by many to be among the greatest players in the history of the sport. Notable achievements for Rafael include: recognition as the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for 2011; participating in the Spain Davis Cup team with wins in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2011; sixteen ATP World Tour 500 wins; twenty-seven ATP World Tour Masters titles; fourteen Grand Slam singles titles; and the Olympic gold medal for 2008.

Rafael Nadal continues to compete in the sport of tennis, but he is also a noted philanthropist, having established his own foundation and supporting such endeavors as developmental aid for underprivileged children around the world and poverty relief. When off the court, Nadal also enjoys golf and football, and is also known for his skills as a poker player. Rafael’s autobiography, Rafa, was published in 2011.