Vamos Rafa: The Destructive “King of Clay”
The temperature tends to rise without anyone’s consent bowing down to the “King of Clay” and with his say it scorches the court with fire of desire. When critics were shot from various quivers he blazed to the top of the rankings in the men’s category and regained his name to be Rafael Nadal Parera. The game of tennis was always played with class, gradualness and smile but Rafa gave it a whole new spectrum playing the game with the attitude of a warrior. With his entry on the court the opponent’s game inclines to surrender to his unique skills in complete silence.
It all started off in the year 2005 when Rafa was at the tender age of 19 being one of the youngest players to win a Grand Slam. He was up against the Federers and the Roddicks but not a thing deterred his stride on the court. He went on to win the French Open for the next three years before dropping his crown to the authoritative Robin Soderling in the year 2009. His critics were replied with his racquet winning French Open for the next four years. He now has his hands laid firm on the courts of Roland Garros.
With other courts not suiting his style of play Rafa began to adapt himself and alter his game just a touch after which victories started to flow towards his racquet with ease. Not many players in the history of Tennis have been able to achieve his parallel. The glimpses of evolution began in the year 2007 when he took on the great Roger Federer in the finals at the Wimbledon where he battled hard before squandering the triumph to Federer. It was the year of 2008 when he won the Wimbledon against Federer completing the match in the near twilight. A few modifications on the hard courts earned him the sweet taste of victories in the subsequent years. Although he has not been very consistent on non-clay courts, he sure has shown gallons of versatility in the game of Tennis being victorious for five times. He also brought Spain Gold medal at the Olympics in the year 2008.
According to the experts of Tennis Rafa has a unique style of play that makes him the destructible “King of Clay”. On Clay Courts he gives a lot of top spin to the ball with his ripping forehand giving the ball enough spin to counter attack his opponents’ shots. His incredible speed at the courts is another huge asset to his game that forces his opponents to commit errors. It is statistically proven that Rafa’s opponents commit 68% percent more unforced errors in the quest of attaining a point. His swinging serves catches his challengers on the wrong foot giving him the advantage and time to pounce on the desired shot. His physical fitness is at a whole new level and it is evident on the court when there is a spring in his stride even during the 5th set of the match. He flattens his forehands on non-clay courts giving the balls less top-spin thereby allowing the ball to skid off the grass or hard surface. Rafa also possesses the natural southpaw advantage.
Rafa is currently ranked the Number 1 player in the world and he definitely has attacked hard to get to the position that he has today. With many years to come shall he remain in the hearts purely for his destructive game on the court and his never-say-die attitude. He may have lost this year’s Australian Open in the Finals against a mediocre player Stan Wawrinka, but has surely not lost his desire to fight hard till the end. With time by his side and records beckoning to be broken Rafa is sure-fire to shout aloud, “Vamos Rafa”.
