As one of the world’s most successful and recognizable sports stars, Rafa Nadal has gained legions of fans all over the planet.
Yet, even if you enjoy watching the Spanish tennis player, there may be some things about him that you don’t yet know.
His Wide Range of Musical Tastes
In an interview with GQ Magazine that was reported by Essentially Sports, Nadal pointed out that he enjoys listening to just about any type of music.
In fact, claims that he can listen to opera, pop, rock, and just about anything else. The one exception is electronic music, which he says that he can’t listen to at all.
The tennis star points out that his ideal type of music “depends on the moment” and the mood that he is in at the time. Nadal stated that he carries his earphones with him everywhere he goes so that he can listen to his favorite songs in situations such as when traveling on a plane or just before a big match begins.
Other reports suggest that his favorite song is The Music of the Night, from the musical The Phantom of the Opera, which he says that he went to see in New York several times. Other sources suggest that classic Spanish and Latin singers like Alejandro Sanz and Shakira are among his favorites. It is also easy to imagine him enjoying while streaming the music we have here at Naijaloaded.
His Tennis Career
Rafa Nadal is one of the most successful tennis players of all time, which is confirmed by the fact that he has been ranked as world number one for a massive 209 weeks in total. His total of 20 Grand Slam singles titles makes him the joint-top men’s player in this respect, with Roger Federer matching that number.
He also shares the record of Master 1000 men’s titles, with the 36 victories to his name the same number achieved by Novak Djokovic. One record that he holds all on his own is the 13 times that he was won the French Open, as no male tennis player has ever won a single tournament so many times.
He is particularly strong on clay surfaces, with many of his numerous triumphs coming on this surface. As a left-handed player with a powerful forehand, Nadal is an extremely difficult opponent, and his rivalries with first of all Federer and then Djokovic have lit up the scene and dominated the sport for more than a decade.
This success makes him a favorite among fans looking to place a bet. Since different bookmakers offer varying odds, it is important to compare on a betting hub like SBO.
Here, we can see the current welcome bonuses that are available from the top betting sites. Other options compared here include live streaming, mobile compatibility, and in-play betting. Due to his success, he is usually a favorite with the bookmakers.
Fans new to this scene will find sites like this useful as it helps convert odds as well as give general betting strategies amongst other details.
The Current Situation
Currently sitting in third place in the world tennis rankings, Nadal has suffered a tough season in which he has played in just six tournaments, five of which have been on clay surfaces. Injury issues and exhaustion are said to be among the reasons why he has withdrawn from Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics due to take place later this year.
2021 also saw Nadal crash out of the French Open at the semi-final stage. His loss to Novak Djokovic was only the third time in his 16-year pro career that he has tasted defeat at the French Open. His coach, Charlie Moya, blamed the “physical and mental pressure” of the clay season, during an appearance on RTVE.
At 35 years old, it could be argued that the best years of Nadal’s career may not be behind him. However, it is worth remembering that he has been written off in the past too, most notably at the start of 2016 when a form slump and some surprising defeats caused analysts to question where the days of Nadal winning tournaments were over.
As arguably the best men’s tennis player of all time, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Rafa Nadal return to winning ways later this season. However, even if this doesn’t happen, the Spaniard has done more than enough during an incredible career to earn his place in the history books.
