Rafa: My Story
£0.90
The Sunday Times bestselling autobiography from the greatest tennis player of his generation
‘A winner’ Independent
‘A terrific sporting memoir, full of memorable anecdotes’ New Statesman
‘As exciting as Rafa himself’ Woman’s Own
No tennis player since Andre Agassi has captivated the world like Rafael Nadal. He’s a rarity in today’s sporting arena – a true sportsman who chooses to let his raw talent, dedication and humility define him. With a remarkable 16 grand slam victories under his belt, and with friend and rival Roger Federer’s record haul of 20 in his sights, Nadal is an extraordinary competitor whose ferocity on court is made even more remarkable by his grace off it.
This book takes us to the heart of Nadal’s childhood, his growth as a player, and his incredible career. It includes memorable highs and lows, from victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final – a match that John McEnroe called the ‘greatest game of tennis ever played’ – to the injury problems that have frequently threatened his dominance of the sport, to becoming the youngest player of the open era to complete a career Grand Slam in 2010.
It transports us from Nadal’s lifelong home on the island of Majorca to the locker room of Centre Court as he describes in detail the pressures of competing in the greatest tournament in the world. It offers a glimpse behind the racquet to learn what really makes this intensely private person – who has never before talked about his home life – tick. And it provides us with a story that is personal, revealing and every bit as exciting as Nadal himself.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Sphere (18 Aug. 2011) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 6879 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 309 pages |
by Ben Wrigley
This book is priceless. Open, straight and deliciously honest, this gives a first-hand account of both – Rafa the tennis champion and Rafa the human being. It also depicts how these two people are so different from each other – Rafa the human is beset with doubts and insecurities, is indecisive, is scared of thunder, lightning and the dark and is wary and scared of any small incursion that can upset his tightly knit family life. Rafa the tennis player, in stark contrast, is a decisive, ruthless, super-competitive champion and is the epitome of endurance – something that has been etched into his conscience by his uncle, coach and friend – Toni. The book offers a deep dive into every aspect that makes Rafa who he is today – the fiercely protective and closer-than-close family that gives Rafa the emotional stability he needs and thrives on, the dogmatic Toni who brings Rafa to train at 9 AM despite any late-night sojourns or a match the previous day and who keeps him grounded by constantly reminding him that he is nothing special and that to endure when all seems lost is what will set him apart, his team – Titin, Tuts and the rest who always manage to keep him game ready and the mental make-up of Rafa himself.
Written uniquely – the Wimbledon 2008 finals interspersed with Rafa’s words on his childhood and growing up years and those of someone else who has seen and worked with him lends a beautiful lucidity to the book. The bits about the Wimbledon 2008 finals, in particular, are gripping and give us a glimpse of what usually transpires in a player’s mind during one of the biggest matches of his career. It not only confirmed my belief that tennis is a game of mind over matter but also demonstrated in more occasions than one, how Rafa’s single-minded concentration, his ability to endure, his desire for victory and his never-say-die attitude overcame all – injury, history, rankings and expectations. Rafa, unlike Federer, always gave the impression that he was human and prone to error and injury – something which Rafa admits to on more occasions than one. How he admits to all his flaws and opens up his private emotions and thoughts at the most definitive moments of his life is endearing, to say the least. In addition to all this, the book offers valuable life lessons in endurance, hard work, grabbing opportunities, never giving up, discipline and humility more than any others that I have read in recent times. Vamos Rafa! You have converted me.
by Taylor
Great autobiography, really personal and open, giving a totally different insight into this amazing athlete and sportsman.
by Carrie
Although I am a die hard fan of Rafael Nadal and he is by far my favorite tennis player, I am not a huge fan of any type of autobiographies/biographies. But this was amazing. It gives such a wonderful insight into how a tennis player deals mentally with each shot and how much of the game is based on instincts and split second decisions.
His life is completely dominated by tennis and I loved that. His commitment to the sport is unlike anything I have read about, and you really get the feeling that he purely plays for the adulation and joy at winning and not for the money. He genuinely loves the sport he plays, which is such a heartwarming thing to hear from any professional sportsman. His dedication to training never wavers and his ability to switch into Rafa the tennis legend and Rafael, the humble, wise and private man is profoundly explored in this book. He talks a lot about injuries and his recognition of his lifespan as a professional athlete as being very tender and short. And constantly refers to his ‘endurance’ from a physical and psychological perspective, giving a wonderful insight to the highs and lows of being one of the best tennis players of this generation.
Overall, his wise and beautifully humble nature (instilled in him, as you find out, by his family) means he is such an inspirational and valuable commodity to the world of sport. There is simply no one sportsman I can compare him to, he is truly individual and there will never be anyone who is as wholeheartedly gracious and brilliant as he is. This book is a must read for anyone, Rafa fan or not, who is interested in tennis from a psychological perspective in particular.
by jannert
Rafael Nadal has always seemed unusual, both as a tennis player and as a human being, and his book gives a fascinating insight into what makes him tick.
While it’s written by a ghost writer, Mr Nadal’s personality comes through very strongly, and it seems consistent with what you see him do on court, and off it as well. On court he is focused, courteous, powerful and always dangerous, with some breathtaking moves and the ability to hang in there and win on important occasions, even against opponents who were initially rated higher than he was. Off court he seems shy, again courteous, and incredibly modest and generous, both in victory and if he happens to lose. He does not give a lot away.
I assumed that possibly this is because he is (or seems to be) uncomfortable speaking English, but after reading this book I’ve come to understand that his reserve is more than a language barrier. It’s the way he remains ‘normal.’ It’s very reassuring to know that not every ‘celebrity’ is in love with the condition.
I found the parts of the story which deal with his family life, his career advancement, his training regimes and other external matters very interesting, but what really riveted me was his personal blow-by-blow description of his important matches. This is wonderful insight into what a tennis player actually has to do during a match, what comes naturally to him, what he has to consciously work at, and most interesting of all …what his mind does during a match.
While other tennis players will no doubt react differently and think differently than Rafael Nadal, they all face the same challenges. It’s very interesting to get insight into what these challenges actually are. I know I will never watch ANY tennis match again without being aware of these mental and physical challenges, and it will be interesting to watch how each player handles them.
I came away from this book feeling very informed. I like sports, but I’m not a competitive person, so it’s interesting to read the views of someone who is. Rafael Nadal has (barring injury) many years left to play at the top level, I hope …but this book left me wondering what he will do after his playing career comes to an end. This will be bulk of the rest of his life. How will he apply what he’s learned so well to other aspects of his life?
There are interesting hints, especially when he says he was dismayed to learn just how little money most athletes outside of the big spectator sports have at their disposal for training purposes. He recognises that they all train just as hard as he does, but have little in the way of support. I hope that after his tennis career is over, he will turn his intelligence and focus to helping other athletes gain the financial backup they need to excel. It’s one way he could advance and remain at the top of the sporting world, after his last tournament is played. I think he has a great deal of potential, and will remain a success no matter what he does with his life.
All in all, a very good read, and a very thought-provoking insight into a very unusual man.