Book Review – Rafa My Story - Rafael Nadal’s autobiography

 

Book Review – Rafa My Story - Rafael Nadal’s autobiography

Author – John Carlin

If you think John Carlin’s book Invictus was very well written, you won’t be surprised after reading this one. We know Rafael Nadal is Spanish and not very fluent with the English language but the book is written flawlessly - courtesy John Carlin.

Here’s a starter from the book which speaks volumes not only about the ability of the writer but also about what goes on in the mind of Rafael Nadal during a match.

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The cathedral rush of the Centre court is good for my game. Because what I battle hardest to do in a tennis match is to quiet the voices in my head, to shut everything out of my mind but the contest itself and concentrate every atom of my being on the point I am playing. If I made a mistake on my previous point, forget it; should a thought of victory suggest itself, crush it.

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Not to regret the past and to stay focused till it was over was Nadal’s mantra during the epic Wimbledon final he played against Roger Federer in 2008. This to date is the best tennis match ever played. Though the winner was Nadal that day but nobody actually lost. The author has effectively used the Wimbledon final of 2008 and the US Open final of 2010 as a backdrop against Nadal’s story which makes it an interesting read.

The book was out when Nadal was just 25 and it provides a wonderful glimpse of the simple life that the great tennis player prefers to live in Mallorca, Spain.

Nadal talks of his relationship with uncle Toni Nadal, his coach ever since he started off. As happens with every relationship, theirs also has endured tough times but the two individuals always focussed on the larger picture which has helped them strengthen their relationship.

Toni is a hard taskmaster. Nadal explains that beautifully.

Once in his younger years, Nadal won the under-12 kids tennis championship and was about to begin celebrations with his family. Uncle Toni played a spoilsport and got a list of the winners of that tournament from the previous years. He read those names to Nadal indicating to him that none of those players made it to the highest level after winning that tournament thus asking him to keep his feet on the ground.

In another instance a young Nadal before a match forgot to carry his water bottle. He expected his uncle would rush home to get the bottle but his uncle was unresponsive. His reply was if he got water for him, his nephew would never learn to not forget carrying his own stuff.

Another interesting thing Nadal throws light on is his habit of drinking water from two bottles. Before any match, he would sip water from the first bottle and then from the another before carefully keeping them one behind the other to his left. He would repeat the sequence every time before the match begins. He feels that by drinking water from each bottle and keeping them in a specific way, he asks his surroundings to match the order he seeks in his head.

There are many such anecdotes in the book which makes it a must read for all his fans.

I have always been a hardcore Federer fan and would always wished doom for Nadal in all those epic battles he had fought against Federer.

My opinion about Nadal has changed for good.

After reading his book, I think he is a good and an upright family man who prefers to have all his family members and his team intact. He is also sincere, firm, grounded, reflecting, generous, genius and a top athlete who wants to do appropriate justice to the talents he possesses.

My takeaways from the book:

1)    You can like the opponent but cannot be overwhelmed by his game.

2)    The best in the world (Roger Federer) is beatable if you trust the unique features of your own game.

3)    Fight every point in the match as if your life depends on it.

4)    The thing that matters the most is to quieten your mind.

5)    Family is the most important thing which can help keep your feet on the ground.

 Once Nadal with his team planned for dinner at a particular restaurant. Pointing at Nadal’s shorts, one of his team mates mentions that at that restaurant, they expect guests to wear a full length trouser. He also says that Nadal however would be an exception as his was one of the most recognizable face in the world. Not to take his stardom for granted and also on the insistence of his uncle, Nadal quickly changed into full length trousers before leaving for dinner at that place.

6)    Look for a coach like Toni Nadal who can help you soar in the sky but at the same time doesn’t let success get inside the head.

7)    If you cannot be good at multiple things, don’t worry. Focus on what is the most important of all.

 Nadal works with a zen like focus on the court but struggles with remembering little things at home.

8)    Do what you love and love what you do.

9)    You should know what your goals are and once you decipher that, approach one goal at a time.

Nadal’s first goal was winning the Wimbledon, a tournament which he lost to Federer in 2006 and 2007. Though he wanted to become a player who can win on all surfaces, he focussed winning on grass first. After winning the Wimbledon title in 2008 he focussed on winning the US open and eventually won it in 2010.