Rafael Nadal, My Inspiration

Nadal, the new ass body of Armani

Artists create art from inspiration.


And although I am not an artist I seek for inspiration from the world that is above and around me.


The only difference that I have from a painter or a photographer is that I don't imitate on a canvass or capture through the lens the beauty that is in front of me. Rather, I look in depth, seek what makes them amazing and try to learn from them.  


Rafael Nadal was one of those few people that made my jaw draw drop when I first saw him playing on hard court.

He possesses an intensity so engaging to watch. If he was playing against me I would be intimidated by this graceful court mover but at the same time admire him too for making me play my best or worse.  


A year ago I did not at all fancy tennis, but when I saw him damage his opponent, I cannot help but root for this Spaniard Stallion who refuses to give up. It's like I had an epiphany. After seeing Rafael Nadal's short stint in the Australian Open 2010, I had a sudden spark of interest in tennis. My friends and I tried playing it on court occasionally. 


Playing is fun but quite a struggle for an inexperienced body that I have. The important thing is I was able to built that respect for professional tennis players after trying it out for myself. 

 2nd round last January 20 at the  Australian Open

If not for Rafael Nadal tennis would forever look like a dry sport, to my eyes.I believe that it is the great players that bring the life and passion out of any sport. Remove the players and the court is cold and flat, very one dimensional. 


The world's no. 1 tennis player is here on Australian soil with hopes still alive of winning a 4 straight grandslam. 

He has everything at stake but he remains a humble soul. I find it amazing that his demeanor changes everytime he steps outside the court and talks about his success.


Fierce on the court but very poised out of it. He doesn't boast about how good he is, instead he is generous on praises he gives to his defeated opponents. For Nadal, every match is like the last one, he plays as if he has everything to lose. He is always in the moment, never missing a beat. 


However, sometimes I worry that he gives too much and it may have a drawback on him.


But I was wrong, he is a firing machine that never runs out of bullets. Yesterday in the 4th round against Marin Cilic, Rafael Nadal chased a ball so near to the net that seems so impossible to recover but he hit it suavely back to the opponent's side and outwitted Cilic.That was just in the first set and yet he dived for the ball as much as he could.

            Every ball is an opportunity

Physicality is his strongest asset but more than that, his mentality is also in best shape. 


Nothing can bring him down for that long, even if down by 4 games last Saturday with a match against Bernard Tomic, Rafael Nadal used his frustration to climb back and win that set. 


His mind never rests on his record breaking successes. He goes on, play, analyse his mistakes and works on them to overcome his weaknesses and improve his game. 


There is no secret to Rafael Nadal's success, you can easily see why he is one of the best sportsman to date, he always stays hungry and that's what I want to apply in my life.