Thursday, February 5, 2009

The life and times of Rafa Nadal

Factbox on Rafael Nadal, who won his first Australian Open title with a 7-5 3-6 7-6 3-6 6-2 victory over Roger Federer.

TENNIS 2009 Nadal - 0

MAKING HIS NAME

* Born in Manacor, Majorca, June 3, 1986. His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal enjoyed a long and successful career as a professional footballer, notably for Barcelona and Spain.

* Turned professional in 2001

SIX GRAND SLAM TITLES

* French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008; Wimbledon 2008; Australian Open 2009

* Became first man since Swede Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open title on debut with a four-set victory over Argentine Mariano Puerta in June 2005.

* A year later, won his second successive French Open title with victory over Federer in the final. Became the first Spanish man to reach the Wimbledon final (losing to Federer) since Manuel Santana won the title in 1966.

* In 2007, became first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win hat-trick of French Open titles.

* The following year matched Borg record of four successive French Open titles (1978 to 1981) to make it 28 wins from 28 at Roland Garros.

* Later in 2008 beat then world number one and defending champion Federer to win his first Wimbledon title. The final was described by some pundits as the greatest tennis match ever.

* In 2009, beat Federer in the final in Melbourne to become the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open in another classic five-set showdown.

OTHER MILESTONES

* Won his first ATP title in Sopot, Poland in August 2004. Later that year beat Andy Roddick to help Spain overcome the United States in Davis Cup final.

* Lost to Igor Andreev in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open in April 2005 but from then on, won a record 81 consecutive matches on clay before the streak came to an end in Hamburg in May 2007 at the hands of Federer.

* Ended Federer's 4-1/2-year reign as world number one in August, 2008.

* Won gold medal in men's singles at 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Reuters

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