Vamos Rafael

I didn’t have the opportunity to watch many games this weekend, but I did see the exciting final of the ATP Masters Series Madrid tournament between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia. The match lasted nearly 4 hours and it was riveting stuff the entire time. The home crowd helped Nadal come back from 2 sets to love to win the match in a 5th set tiebreaker.

If you haven’t seen the 19 year old Spaniard play, you should try and catch his next match on television. Even if you aren’t a tennis fan, you’ll be able to appreciate this kid. Several years ago, the UMass Men’s basketball team used the slogan “Refuse to Lose” in their march to the NCAA Final Four. Rafa is the individual embodiment of this slogan. He never gives in and makes his opponent work extremely hard for the entire match. At 19, his focus on winning is incredible and that’s demonstrated by the fact that he has won 11 titles this year, equaling Roger Federer’s take.

Other young athletes should study Nadal’s performances and be inspired by his mental toughness and physical effort. Are you listening Andy Roddick? Rafa is also the most exciting on-court personality to come to tennis since Andre Agassi. American tennis fans tend to be provincial when latching onto tennis stars, but if there is anyone who can change this, it’s Rafael Nadal. If you’re interested in more info on the Spanish superstar, go to Vamos Rafael.