“When I train, I don’t have etiquette” Rafael Nadal explains why he has etiquette on the court and why he wishes he didn’t have them »FirstSportz

Number 5 in the world and 21 times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal Named one of the most superstitious players on the Tour. While his routine before each serve is well known, there is a list of things the Spaniard keeps in mind every time he enters the court.

These poses are now quite famous and even children playing football help Nadal follow. Nadal however it is desirable that he does not follow too many etiquettes while playing as he believes that they often act as a distraction and that in the game of tennis one needs to stay focused during the match.

“I believe that the less weird things you have to do to stay focused, the better. And I say that later when I have particularly clear etiquette when I play. I don’t want to do them. That may not sound like an excuse, but tennis is a mentally aggressive sport that demands a lot from you all the time; The smallest mistake will send you home.

“You have to find a way to focus 100%, not being distracted by outside things. In general, I am a focused person. I don’t know if it’s positive or negative, but it worked for me to have a ritual. When I coach, I have no etiquette, but competition gives me this security and isolation.” Nadal said in recent times mental health conference in Rafa Nadal Academy.

Rafael Nadal’s Court Etiquette

Nadal’s rituals include entering the court with a racquet in hand, crossing any course line with his right foot first to avoid any cuts. Before the game started, he was always late to join the opponent and the referee’s seat to hit the net. He took a bite of his energy gel and gave his energy drink bottle to the kids playing ball before throwing in which he continued to dance.

Nadal reaches the bottom line after launching a zig-zag run. For each serve, Nadal has a habit of arranging his shirt, hair, and counting the number of returns before serving. Nadal always receives a towel after each point and takes a sip of energy drink before drinking.

Also read: “This is not the last Grand Slam that I will see him win” Coach Carlos Moya is confident about Rafael Nadal winning the French Open 2022