Latest news with #NadalAcademy
IOL News
02-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Toronto minus big three offers opportunities
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates a point against Australia's Jordan Thompson during their men's singles match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne Stefanos Tsitsipas. | AFP THE glaring absence of Big Three, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner & Novak Djokovic at the Canadian Open, detracts from the typically star-studded line up at a Masters 1000. That said, Toronto opens the gate wider for those top seeds, seeking redemption, after below par performances at Wimbledon: Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune. It also presents an opportunity to young guns snapping at the heels of all of the above namely, Joao Fonseca, Jacob Mensik, Arthur Fils and Gabriel Diallo. The Washington Open, immediately prior to Toronto, proved how proverbial underdogs can quickly take advantage of a derth of heavyweights in the Draw: World No 68, Davidovich Fokina cracked two Top 10 Players for the first time in his career, beating both Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton to arrive against all odds in the Final, where he squandered three championship points to allow Australian No 1, Alex De Minaur to be figuratively handed the trophy, on a silver platter. As inconsolable as newly married 'Fokie' was, in facing defeat at the hand of newly engaged 'Demon', the penny has dropped for the Spaniard- 'These are need to kill three times to win the match point..' The cockroach analogy proved accurate on this occasion. No 31 Anna Kalinskaya, applied as ruthless a mindset to outclass former US Open champion, Emma Raducanu; 6-4, 6-3, to book her berth in the Finals, only to be comprehensively squashed by Raducanu's co of US Open Finalist, Leylah Fernandez- who had rescued her epic three-set semi against third seed, Elena Rybakina, from a set and a break down- yet took less than an hour to bag her first Tour title. So what could Zverev and Tsitsipas, derive from these sudden surges in the careers of both Fernandez and Fokina, apart from his changing his coach and her improving her hitherto weak serve? It turns out sun, sea and solace did it for Zverev, when after an invitation from one of the best coaches of all time, Uncle Toni (Rafa's uncle) the German flew to Mallorca, to spend 10 days at the Nadal Academy, talking past midnight to Rafa himself. The 22-time Major title-holder reminded Zverev of what it was like to face him on Court. This is the second life changing moment for Zverev involving Nadal. His ankle injury, incurred mid match versus Rafa in the 2022 Roland Garros Semis, a match the German looked likely to win, forced him to be sidelined for a year. So far his Spanish sabbatical has seen him in good stead, Zverev pulled himself back from the brink of a first set tiebreak defeat, with a 52 shot rally, in his Toronto opener against Adam Walton and is still on track to clash with another first round Wimbledon fatality, Holger Rune, in the Quarters. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Tsitsipas in turmoil: He suffered another first round walloping, 6-4,4-6,6-2 from American Chris OConnell and will be in danger of falling outside of the Top 30 for the first time since 2018. Brazilian Fonseca, too fell well short of expectation, post reaching Round three at his maiden Championships and was brought to heel by qualifier, Tristan Schoolgate. Miami champion, Jacob Mensik, is still in the mix, as is last year's finalist Andrew Rublev, who notched up his 250th Tour triumph, knocking off Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-3. 2nd seed, Taylor Fritz is tantalizingly close to securing his Last-Eight spot in all nine of these Masters 1000s, with Diallo, the last Canadian standing, standing once again in the American's way. There was no five set thriller a la Wimbledon when these two butted heads, but rest assured emotions, flags and rackets soar, whenever an American top dog squares up to a Canadian underdog, on Canadian soil.
New Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Tennis was not love at first sight: Teen star Maaya's journey from Coimbatore to Mallorca
If she wasn't watching tennis, father and daughter used to play junior state level non-ranking tournaments. "Those were fun times," she says. "They used to be one-day non-ranking meets. I used to play as many as 5-6 matches any given day." As she progressed, she left local tournaments in the rearview mirror. More national level events started occupying her calendar and an ever expanding trophy cabinet at home was a clear indicator of her talents. In 2023, she went a step further as she enjoyed an 83% win record on the junior circuit. Still training in India, the beginning of 2024 was going to be pivotal for several reasons. Having decided to turn pro, this year would mark her first taste of the big time. More importantly, she wanted to start training in Europe. By her own accounts, 'last year wasn't good' but it was still a landmark year as she earned a full scholarship to train in the Rafa Nadal Academy at Mallorca. "I have been at the Nadal Academy since October 2024," the 16-year-old says. "From May to June, we were looking for a base in Europe as my coach had felt it would be better to go out. I was actually training in Valencia... the invitation from the Nadal Academy was very unexpected. I was happy and they were happy to take me in. "It's been great, the first few days were a bit overwhelming. I saw Rafa within a week of joining the Academy and that was the week before the Davis Cup where he was retiring. For him to come and watch me play was unexpected. I had a bit of nerves at the start. He was friendly, very approachable and a very down to earth person." Her first full conversation with the 22-time Major winner happened post her Mumbai WTA 125 run, 'just after I had joined school there'. "He asked me 'how the tournament was and how was school'. He also spoke to my coach."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rafal Nadal says he is content in retirement and hasn't picked up a racket in 6 months
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal hasn't swung a tennis racket in the six months since the final match of his remarkable career. Eventually, he figures, he will do so again, if for no other reason than to prepare for exhibition matches. But for now, he is fine taking time away from the court in retirement. He also was OK with realizing soon after walking away that he no longer felt the competitive streak that helped carry him to 22 Grand Slam titles. That total includes a remarkable 14 at the French Open, more championships than any other person won at one of his sport's major tournaments — and the site of a celebration of his excellence on Sunday in its main stadium. When he would play golf, for example, 'I didn't care if I lose, if I win, if I play well, if I play bad. Was a strange feeling for me, and not funny. I didn't like to experience that, being honest, because I understand (sports differently).' Not surprisingly, though, that period passed. It makes sense that the drive that pushed him for two decades to succeed, to strive to get better, to keep accumulating accolades would not quite disappear forever. 'I am competitive again,' he pronounced with a smile. 'Just to let you know, I am enjoying my daily competitions when I play golf and when I do things, but I think in a much nicer way.' Now he invests time in his family — his wife and 2-year-old son were at Court Philippe-Chatrier for Sunday's moving tribute — and business interests, including his tennis academy, a hotel company and a nutritional supplements company, plus his charitable foundation. 'I am discovering,' said Nadal, who turns 39 on June 3, 'what really motivates me for this new life.' And as for tennis? 'I am having fun. I don't miss much tennis, because I feel that I (gave) all what I had. I arrive at the day of today with the peace that I can't be on court. My body doesn't allow me to be on court. So that's all. I am (at) peace,' he continued. 'I did all (that) I could to have the best career possible, and now I am enjoying this new phase of my life, that I am sure going to be less exciting than the tennis career.' He went on to explain that the adrenaline sports produces is 'impossible to find in other things in life,' but that doesn't mean he will be any less happy. As singular as his achievements in Paris were — not just the 14 trophies, first at age 18 in 2005 and last at age 36 in 2022, but also the career record of 112-4 — Nadal does not find it inconceivable that someone else could come along and produce similar success. He might be the only one who thinks that way. After all, no man in the professional era, which began in 1968, even won half as many championships at Roland-Garros; Bjorn Borg is next on the list with six. 'I really feel that if I did it — I don't consider myself somebody very, very special — another one is going to come and going to achieve that, too,' he said. 'A lot of things need to happen in your favor to make that happen, because you need a long career, because you can't have a lot of injuries, even if I had (my share). ... You can have injuries, you can have very, very bad days. So you need some luck, too.' ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis: Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
Asharq Al-Awsat
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Nadal Enjoying Pain-free Life as French Open Looms
For the first time since Rafael Nadal called time on his extraordinary career, the French Open begins without the looming prospect of its most dominant champion, and while Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era, the 14-time winner says he is content to leave the stage behind. The Spaniard, who officially retired in November 2024, told French sports daily L'Equipe that he no longer misses competing and is enjoying a normal, pain-free life after years of battling chronic injuries. "I feel good today, not because I'm back on a tennis court, but because I'm living a normal life without pain," Reuters quoted Nadal as saying. "I don't miss playing. I knew I had reached my limit." This year´s tournament is the first of the post-Nadal era, a symbolic shift for an event so long synonymous with his name. As the next generation of contenders prepares to stake its claim on the clay, Nadal is watching from afar, embracing life beyond the tour. "The first 40 days after I stopped were tough because I felt I could still play well," Nadal admitted. "But my foot made it impossible." He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects. Nadal says he´s relishing the freedom of life without the rigid demands of the tour and has no regrets about how his career unfolded. "I´ve had a wonderful life beyond the courts," he said. "Tennis was a huge part of it, but it was never everything." Nadal singled out world number one Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the current leaders of the men´s game, while also highlighting Holger Rune, Jack Draper, and Jakub Mensik as emerging talents. Looking back, Nadal said his proudest achievement was not his record haul of trophies, but his ability to preserve his enthusiasm and values through years of grueling competition and injury setbacks. "My ability to constantly improve and surround myself with the right people is what I value most," he said. "Fame and extremes - none of that took away the things I love, like my family, friends, the sea, and other sports."
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Nadal enjoying pain-free life as French Open looms
PARIS, May 22 (Reuters) - For the first time since Rafael Nadal called time on his extraordinary career, the French Open begins without the looming prospect of its most dominant champion, and while Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era, the 14-time winner says he is content to leave the stage behind. The Spaniard, who officially retired in November 2024, told French sports daily L'Equipe that he no longer misses competing and is enjoying a normal, pain-free life after years of battling chronic injuries. "I feel good today, not because I'm back on a tennis court, but because I'm living a normal life without pain," Nadal said. "I don't miss playing. I knew I had reached my limit." This year's tournament is the first of the post-Nadal era, a symbolic shift for an event so long synonymous with his name. As the next generation of contenders prepares to stake its claim on the clay, Nadal is watching from afar, embracing life beyond the tour. "The first 40 days after I stopped were tough because I felt I could still play well," Nadal admitted. "But my foot made it impossible." He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects. Nadal says he's relishing the freedom of life without the rigid demands of the tour and has no regrets about how his career unfolded. "I've had a wonderful life beyond the courts," he said. "Tennis was a huge part of it, but it was never everything.' Nadal singled out world number one Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the current leaders of the men's game, while also highlighting Holger Rune, Jack Draper, and Jakub Mensik as emerging talents. Looking back, Nadal said his proudest achievement was not his record haul of trophies, but his ability to preserve his enthusiasm and values through years of gruelling competition and injury setbacks. 'My ability to constantly improve and surround myself with the right people is what I value most,' he said. 'Fame and extremes — none of that took away the things I love, like my family, friends, the sea, and other sports.'
