Rafa Nadal opens up about his 'look' at the beginning of his career

Rafa Nadal is one of the GOATs of tennis. The Spanish player marked an era, not only for his titles and achievements on the court but also for his attitude and a disruptive appearance that clashed entirely with Roger Federer's elegance. In the early days of his career, the manacorí tennis player had a very particular 'look,' and in a recent interview, he acknowledged that even today he looks back and is not at all happy about it, even though it helped him forge his identity and what would come later. 

To set the scene, at that time Roger Federer was the master and dominator of the circuit. Pure elegance, classic attire, and a gentleman from head to toe. In short, the art made tennis player. However, Nadal arrived with his messy long hair, sleeveless shirt showing off his biceps, capri pants and an attitude and hunger on the court that were nothing like the Swiss's calmer personality.

In an interview with 'GQ Magazine,' the Spanish tennis player spoke about it, recognizing that "in the early days of my career... I look at myself now, 20 years later, and it's horrible. But back then, in some way, I was forging my identity. I was recognized for wearing those eye-catching outfits, with long hair, the bandana... It was something different. With Roger, everything was a bit more perfect and elegant. And then I came along: hair tousled everywhere and, let’s say... a somewhat wilder, less orthodox style. I enjoyed that stage, although, twenty years later, I see it differently.”

Nadal talks about the injuries that marked his career

Additionally, Nadal also took the time to talk about the injuries that marked his career. The abdomen, the foot, the hip, the wrist... His uncle Toni Nadal (and coach) defined him at the time as a person who was injured and played tennis, and it’s something that Rafa himself has also delved into. "It has been one of the key facets of my career, and I don’t say that in a negative sense. From the beginning, when I was only 19 years old, the major problem of my career was my foot. I have had to live with injuries from start to finish."

"In fact, I ended up retiring due to an injury. And, in a way, from that comes one of the things I am most proud of: being able, despite all the physical setbacks, to keep my passion, motivation, and love for tennis intact for so many years. Fighting against the limitations of my body but always finding solutions to continue enjoying what I am passionate about," Nadal concluded.

Rafa provided an example to the world of not giving up no matter how much the circumstances invite you to do so. Ultimately, his body said enough, and he had to retire earlier than he would have liked, but Nadal left nothing on the table and exited through the grand door after an exemplary career where he himself changed completely. That young man in capri pants and a sleeveless shirt went on to even play in a polo shirt on some occasions, with much shorter pants and a more classic hairstyle. However, the passion was always the same, as it was his main hallmark.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rafa Nadal se sincera sobre su "look" en los inicios de su carrera