Rafa Nadal has been a part of our lives for 20 years, more than enough time for us to know everything about him… or maybe not. There are a series of facts that only ‘coffee’ people know:
1
He beat the legendary Pat Cash when he was 14 years old
Rafa’s first major victory came in 2001, at the age of 14, when he defeated former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash in an exhibition.
Cash said, “The next day I called some of my supporters and told them to invest in this guy. I’m sure they now regret their hesitation.”
2
Passion for chocolate
Rafa is a huge chocolate addict, to the point that they hide it in the house so he can’t find it at night.
3
Left and right hand, but opposite of Moyà
Rafa is known as the best left-hander of all time, but in his everyday life he is right-handed. Many people know this fact, but perhaps not the fact that the exact opposite happens to his coach, Carlos Moyà: he is a closed left hand for everything except tennis, where he managed to reach the top playing with his right hand.
4
Mercedes in the garage
In July 2005, Nadal won the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart and the organization presented him with a new Mercedes.
His uncle Toni insisted that he keep it in the garage and instead drive a car from a cheaper sponsor to stay humble.
5
Potential footballer
In addition to racket, Nadal has always excelled in soccer, a sport he had to give up as a teenager to focus on tennis.
We experienced a great example of his ball skills in a charity friendly match where he scored a double hat-trick (6 goals) against none other than Iker Casillas.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
