One of the top seeded players at ATP Indian Wells this year, left handed Spanish professional tennis player Rafael Nadal has been ranked no.1 tennis player by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) to whom many of experts regard as the greatest clay court player of all time earning him name ‘The King of Clay’.
One of the top sportsmen, Rafael Nadal has 475 wins to his credit and is considered the greatest player of all time winning nine Grand Slam singles titles and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. He has also a record 18 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and had been the part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won finals in 2004, 2008 and 2009. Being the 7th tennis player in the history and the youngest, Rafael Nadal completed the Career Grand Slam by winning the 2010 US Open.
Rafael Nadal was born on 3 june 1986 in Manacor, Majorca, Spain and had a natural tennis playing talent that his uncle , Miguel Ángel Nadal, a retired professional footballer recognized and his another uncle Toni Nadal, a former professional tennis player, introduced him to tennis when he was just three years old and at the age of 15 years, in 2002 Rafael Nadal won his first ATP match becoming ninth player in the open era to defeat his competitor before 16 years age.
Rafael Nadal is the second male player to complete the Career Golden Slam being winner of the four grand slams and the Olympic Gold medal and had been ranked no. 2 behind Roger Federer before gaining the top spot. Rafael Nadal was also given the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports in 2008 due to recognizing his achievements in tennis world. He won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the first time in 2010 in London.
Spanish professional tennis player Rafael Nadal has started 2011 by participating in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and won over Roger Federer.