It would be impossible for anyone to imagine how a low profile south Indian town of Anantapur could be associated with the man who won 22 grand slam titles. It is not that Anantapur is devoid of a rich legacy. The city has historic ties with the Vijayanagara kingdom. The forts of Ravadurg and Rayadurg are testimony of its glorious past and the Penukonda fort is no less impressive as a historical structure. Yet, it would not be entirely unfair to say that the Fundacion Rafa Nadal — the Rafael Nadal Foundation — has put this town on the international map.
It has been 14 years since the Rafa Foundation has been working for the betterment of marginalised children in the area. Thanks to the foundation, thousands of children got an opportunity to be able to play the sport of tennis. These children, including those from tribal backgrounds, often broke social and economic barriers to bring dignity to their lives. They got an environment of a fair level-playing field to showcase their skill.
Many international sports icons have been attracted to India but few have something to show for their love for the country. The beautiful thing about Rafael Nadal is that he indeed proved his love for India and its people. The Nadal foundation has consistently invested considerable sums of money to bring dignity into the lives of children from less fortunate backgrounds. A visit to the site of the foundation is enough to see that it has truly world class facilities.
It is incredible to know that a tennis player from Spain is to some extent responsible for children getting access to computers in a town in south India. Even more incredible is the fact that adult women are getting financial independence by making unique products from local resources to earn a dignified living.
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The champion and his cause
Watching Rafael Nadal play at the clay courts at Roland Garros was a privilege. Those who haven’t seen him play live in Paris would not be able to assess his style and quality of play. It appears on television that the Spaniard’s play is all about power. In reality, it is mostly about engaging the opponent in long rallies and forcing them to make an error eventually.
Nadal carries top spin in his shots that often take opponents out of court and exhaust them by the time the rally ends. Of course, there is the all-powerful forehand. But there was more to his play that lies outside the court. He has simply been a master in managing injuries and not allowing them to adversely impact his play until the last two years of his glorious career. It is incredible that he could sustain such a long career even though he used so much physicality in his play.
On clay, Rafa is simply unbeatable. But his victories over Federer on grass at Wimbledon have taken him into tennis folklore. There is nothing in the game of tennis that Rafael Nadal did not master. He conquered all surfaces and excelled in all conditions. While the forehand down the line was no doubt his weapon, it was actually the forehand that he executed from the backhand side of the court that showed the genius he is.
Now that Rafael has called it a day it does not matter where and how the water bottles are placed on the court. He will simply go down as the best-behaved tennis champion in the history of the game.
Nadal is also in a unique position with regard to the continuation of his legacy in the game. While his playing days will come to an end after next month’s Davis Cup finals, the academy in Manacor will continue to attract talent from all over the world. This means Nadal will continue to have an impact in the world of tennis.
Nadal’s rise as one of the greatest to have played the game lies on the solid foundational support he received from his family. The contribution of his uncle, Toni Nadal, reminds us of the importance of family values in sport.
There is no doubt that Rafael Nadal is an icon. His conduct on and off the court has been exemplary. More than his forehand, it is his humanitarian contribution to social causes that makes him an outstanding role model for youngsters.
Rafael Nadal’s social contribution in India to provide world-class sports access to marginalised children make him an eternal champion even after his playing days are over. He is not just a genius on the tennis court but an extraordinary human being off it.
Kush Singh @singhkb is founder, The Cricket Curry Tour Company. Views are personal.
(Edited by Anurag Chaubey)