Nadal’s uncle Toni was with him on the fateful day as he decided to walk away from his dream of playing football for his beloved Real Madrid and devote his life to winning a Grand Slam tennis title.
While Nadal had hit some balls on the red clay courts in his homeland when he was growing up, Toni’s brother Miguel Angel Nadal was the star of this family as he was a talismanic footballer for Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Naturally, young Rafa idolised his famous uncle and wanted to follow in his footsteps, but his sporting journey followed a different path after he showed some early promise on a tennis court.
Little did Nadal know back then that his decision would spawn a career that would end with most experts suggesting he should be remembered as the greatest Spanish athlete of all-time, with his decision to pick up that first Babolat racket proving to be a defining moment in his life as he played with the same brand of frame throughout his career.
With 22 Grand Slam titles and $134,946,100 in on court prize money winnings, his decision to play tennis reaped remarkable rewards and now that it is all over, the tributes are flowing.
Nadal’s career came to an emotional conclusion as Spain’s hopes of winning the Davis Cup on home soil ended with a defeat against the Netherlands in Malaga.
Nadal lost his final match against Botic van de Zandschulp, but his career has been burning its dying embers for some time now.
Injury has denied him the chance to end his story on a high, but a record that includes a staggering 14 French Open wins, 36 ATP Masters 1000 tournament wins, 209 weeks as world No.1 and two Olympic Gold medals ensure Nadal is a sporting icon who left an indelible mark on tennis.
In the opinion of his former Spanish Davis Cup team-mate Feliciano Lopez, Nadal’s legacy is cast in a carrot of gold that puts him in a league of his own.
“There is no doubt that Rafa is the best athlete ever from Spain,” declares Lopez, who had the task of leading the farewell celebrations for Nadal in Malaga as the Davis Cup Finals tournament director.
“Rafa, with everything he has achieved in his career, is more than enough to say he is the No. 1 athlete in our history.
“One thing I will remember is his passion, he is a very passionate person. He puts a lot of passion into everything he does in life.
“Also, I will always remember his will to improve. He kept improving his game from when he started playing professionally until now. And also his determination on court. This is, for sure, something out of this world.”
The tears flowed for Nadal as made his final farewell to his adoring Spanish fans in Malaga on Tuesday night and when he was asked how he would like to be remembered, he hinted his success on the court was less cherished than the impression he left off it.
“The titles, the numbers are there so people probably know that, but I would like to be remembered more as a good person from a small village in Majorca,” said Nadal.
“I had the luck that my uncle was a tennis coach and I had a great family. Just a kid who followed their dreams and worked as hard as possible to be where I am today.
“A lot of people try their best every single day. I have been very lucky in the life I have had the opportunity to live, I have lived unforgettable experiences because of tennis. I’d like to be remembered as a kid who achieved more than I ever dreamed.”
After waving farewell to Roger Federer in 2022 and Andy Murray earlier this year, Nadal is the latest legend of the golden era of men’s tennis to exit the stage.
Next year, it may be Novak Djokovic’s time to pull down the curtain on his story, with tennis still trying to work out how we will replace the voids these great champions will leave behind.
That debate is for another day and for now, let’s cherish the memories Nadal and his fellow band of masters gifted to the tennis world.
RAFAEL NADAL’S CAREER IN NUMBERS
912 – Consecutive weeks spent in the top 10 between April 2005 and March 2023, more than any other man.
207 – Weeks as world No.1.
112 – A record number of victories at the French Open, as he lost just four times at Roland Garros.
81 – Number of consecutive matches he won on clay from April 2005 to May 2007.
22 – Grand Slam titles from 30 appearances in finals.
14 – A record-breaking number of French Open wins.
5 – Number of years he ended as world No.1.
4 – Davis Cup titles with Spain.
2 – Olympic gold medals, one in singles and one in doubles.
