Rafa

I grew up watching tennis - Connors and Borg, McEnroe and Lendl, but Rafael Nadal rose to prominence on the tennis scene during a period of years when I didn't really watch the sport. I started watching again around the time that much of the book revolves around: Rafa's victory over Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final. Since then, I've begun watching tennis more intensively again and I've also become a big fan of Rafa's. Much of what I like about him is explained in this book, from his graciousness in both victory and defeat, to his even-tempered demeanor on the court.

In interviews, Nadal is often an intriguing mix of candid and reserved, and the same holds true in this book. Much is made of his Mallorcan upbringing and sensibilities show more which keep him balanced and yet also seemingly unable to really relish his accomplishments. The best analogy I can think of is that although he loves the game of tennis and loves to compete, it's still his job. He punches in when he's on the court, becoming Rafa the tennis machine and punches out when he leaves, becoming Rafael the cautious bundle of anxieties. The book alternates between chapters narrated by Nadal and chapters narrated by his coauthor which provide insight into the people around him, and a glimpse into Mallorcan character in general and the Nadal family in particular. Personally, I walked away with mixed feelings about Uncle Toni's coaching techniques and life lessons for Rafa, but it's hard to argue with his success. show less

Rafael Nadal’s memoir, Rafa, explores the duality of his life: the driven, champion tennis player and the modest, gentle Mallorcan who prefers the tranquil island life away from any flash of stardom. Each chapter weaves Nadal’s thoughts about his childhood, family life, and rise to the world number one, with the views of those closest to him. The combination of perspectives adds strength to the book, showing his weaknesses, his fears, his internal dialogue, and how he always strives to improve himself, on and off the tennis court. In the end, Rafa is a less about tennis and more about Nadal’s quest to stay grounded and keep his eye on the biggest prize of his life: the love and harmony of his family and friends. For tennis fans, show more this is in an intriguing read, getting to know a beloved tennis legend in his truest form: a humble and grateful human being. show less

I didn't finish this one - it was OK. I like him as a player, but was feeling sorry for him as a person. Plus, he's a bit young to write an autobiography. Seems like not much has happened to him outside of an amazingly successful tennis career. It will be interesting to hear his perspective on his career and his life when he is older.

In the sport of tennis, there are few players who stand out. Rafael Nadal is one of those players, along with his chief rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Now Nadal has written a tennis biography with writer John Carlin. It is appropriate that I read the book during the Australian Open 2012; at the time of writing the review, Rafa beat Federer for a spot in the men’s singles semifinals.

The book revolves around several crucial Slam events: 2008 Wimbledon and the 2010 US Open. Nadal has detailed narrative about the matches and intersperses his life story in tennis. In between the nine chapters, Carlin writes about different aspects of Nadal’s life. I made the assumption that Carlin was responsible for editing this book and he show more did a wonderful job. The story flows well and Rafa comes across as a thoroughly nice young man as well as a gifted tennis player. If watching tennis is your game, you will enjoy Rafa. show less

A fantastic insight into the life of my favourite tennis player. I remember watching every moment of that Wimbledon match and it was great being able to learn what he was thinking at the crucial parts. He's as gracious and as good hearted as I thought he was and I adored his book.

I wouldn't recommend this to any of my friends because this book is very based around tennis, and most of them don't like that sport. But tennis is my favorite sport so it appealed to me a bit. 3Q2P The cover art is okay and I'd recommend this to middle and high school students. I chose to read this book because I really like tennis. BrandonD