Though Rafael Nadal is known across the world as one of the greatest tennis players in the history of the game, the Tennis icon has a lot of football skills to flaunt.
The 35-year-old Spanish tennis icon who just won his 21st grand slam has often used the tennis ball, as tiny as it is, to carry out a series of fancy ball juggling routines that always leave spectators wowed.
Ahead of the Australia Open final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev which took place on Sunday, January 30, a football news platform, 433, made a video compilation showing moments Nadal turned the Tennis ball into a football.
In some of the scenes in the video, Rafael Nadal could be seen using almost every part of his body to juggle the tennis ball. He did it as perfectly as the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar.
Based on how easy it is for him to juggle tennis balls, it is safe to say that if the Spanish Tennis star did not play Tennis, he would have tried a career in football.
Talking about the just-concluded Australia Open, Rafael Nadal stunned lovers of tennis by beating Daniil Medvedev from two sets down.
Medvedev who is the reigning champion of the US Open and finalist of last year’s Australian Open, was the highest-ranked player in this year’s edition of the Australia Open, thanks to the absence of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Despite the form of the 25-year-old Russian Tennis star, Nadal who managed to play only one tournament in the final seven months of 2021 due to an injury in his left foot, was able to defeat the Russian tennis star to win his 21st Grand Slam.
It could only be him…
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) January 30, 2022
The moment @RafaelNadal became the first man in the Open era to win the @AustralianOpen final from two sets down 💪pic.twitter.com/WZx42PUGKA
The year 2021 was very rough for the Spanish tennis star who battled chronic pain in his left foot that almost made him quit the game. Immediately he recovered from that, he contracted coronavirus in December.
At the end of the rough year, he was able to pick up himself to prepare for the 2022 Australia Open. To the surprise of many, he ended the tournament as the champion.
“If you put everything together, it has probably been the biggest comeback of my tennis career,” he said.
“For the last six months, I really fought a lot to try to be back on the court.
“There have been very, very tough moments. There have been conversations, tough ones because you don’t know if I was going to have the chance to be back on the tour.”
Currently, Nadal is the most successful male tennis player in the history of the game. He has one grand slam more than his career rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer who have 20 grand slams apiece.
While reacting to his record-breaking 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 win over Medvedev in Australia on Sunday, Nadal said: “Of course, for me, it’s amazing to achieve another Grand Slam at this moment of my career. Of course, I know it’s a special number, 21.
“I know the big significance of this title. I feel lucky to achieve one more very special thing in my tennis career.
“But I don’t care much if I am the best in history, one of the best in history, or not the best in history. Honestly, I don’t care much.”
Congratulations to @RafaelNadal for 21st GS. Amazing achievement. Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time. Enhorabuena 👏🏆👍 @Medwed33 gave it his all out there and played with the passion and determination we have come to expect from him. pic.twitter.com/DsOvK8idNc
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 30, 2022
