Rafael Nadal, sometimes known as the King of Clay, is one of the best tennis players and an all-time single-surface specialist.

Nadal is second only to Roger Federer in terms of all-time Grand Slam winners, with 17 titles under his belt. The fact that Nadal has won 11 French Open titles, which is astounding, makes him the player with the most Major victories ever.

While Nadal first served as Federer's arch-enemy, rival's routinely defeating the Swiss master on all surfaces; he has since grown into a legendary all-court player in his own right.

Nadal’s Personal Life

Nadal was born and has continuously resided in Manacor, Mallorca. Since he was three years old, his uncle Toni has been his coach; they broke up in 2016, and Nadal hired Carlos Moya to take over.

Toni Nadal was the one who suggested that Rafa switches to playing with his left hand since he (correctly) thought it would offer him an advantage on the court. Rafa's reputation as a focused and dedicated athlete has also been greatly attributed to Toni's harsh training techniques.

Nadal has a sporting background and is naturally athletic. Rafa's other uncle Miguel Angel Nadal played professional football, even for FC Barcelona, and Toni was a former professional tennis player.

His Career

Rafael Nadal has won a higher percentage of his matches than any other player among the six athletes, with more than 900 victories throughout the Open era. How many more titles might the Spaniard have attained if injuries hadn't so regularly cut short his career? Since making his Wimbledon debut in 2003, Nadal has missed eight Grand Slam competitions and numerous others on tour.

Nadal's Grand Slam career was derailed by injury before it even got off the ground when an elbow issue caused him to withdraw from the 2003 French Open. A year later, he could not compete in Wimbledon and Roland Garros due to an ankle ailment. However, when he was playing, he was a winning machine.

At 15, Nadal won his first match on the circuit. Two months later, he captured his first championship in Sopot, Poland. By 2005, he dominated the European clay-court season, winning in Rome, Barcelona, and Monte-Carlo before winning his first Grand Slam tournament at the French Open. That year, he won 11 trophies, which is still his most excellent total for a single season.

2013 was Nadal's second-most successful year when he won 10 titles despite missing the season's beginning due to injury. Between Sao Paulo in February and the French Open, he competed in eight tournaments and only dropped a match against Novak Djokovic in the Monte-Carlo final.

Nadal is a beautiful example of triumphing despite hardships and physical constraints. He has battled off multiple injuries throughout his career, including a chronic knee injury, with courage and perseverance. He disproved everyone who questioned his durability by continuing to rule the roost far past 30 despite having a physically taxing playing style.