In addition to being an incredible athlete, Rafael Nadal has always been a great sports fan and at the age of eight he played both soccer and tennis.
Rafael Nadal has always been a great sports fan and at the age of eight he played both soccer and tennis. Two events, in particular, affected his final decision. The Majorcan has in fact listened to his mother’s advice and followed the suggestions of Uncle Toni Nadal, who after winning a regional under-12 tournament pushed his nephew to intensify his training on the tennis court and focus on a single discipline.
Nadal: “That’s why I chose tennis and not soccer”
Questioned by the numerous fans who had the opportunity to ask some questions to their favorites through the social channels of the US Open, Nadal revealed a particular background.
“My mother told me that I couldn’t continue playing soccer, tennis and going to school at the same time. She said: Choose two, and the school must be one of them.” Nadal, after losing his Masters 1000 debut in Cincinnati to Borna Coric, trained hard for two weeks with the aim of being in the best possible condition at Flushing Meadows.
The Spanish champion will face Rinky Hijikata in the first round and, in case of victory, he would find in the second one between Fabio Fognini and Aslan Karatsev. The first seed present on Nadal’s path bears the name and surname of Miomir Kecmanovic; while in the round of 16 he should find Diego Schwartzman or Frances Tiafoe.
The major players to reach the quarter-finals in the same portion of the board as the Majorcan are Andrey Rublev, Denis Shapovalov and Cameron Norrie. All Spanish tennis fans dream of watching a fantastic derby in the semifinals.
Carlos Alcaraz was in fact drawn, together with Nadal, in the lower part of the main draw and dreams of lifting his first career Grand Salm tournament to the sky. The young Spanish talent, for his part, could give life to the third challenge of the year against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.
The South Tyrolean has won the last two direct clashes: the first in the round of 16 at Wimbledon; the second in the final in Umag.
