Rafael Nadal won his first tennis tournament at the age of eight.
Nobody expected the success that the Spaniard achieved in this sport by the middle of his career.
Also, Nadal has managed to remain among the favorites of the sports books to win the most recognized international tennis tournaments.
Check out these 10 fast facts about Rafael Nadal.
In 2002, as a 15 year-old, Nadal had his first ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) victory after defeating Ramon Delgado in the Mallorca Open.
At the age of 17, he joined the list of the 100 Best Tennis Players in the ATP ranking. And that same age, he also qualified for a spot in the third round of Wimbledon in 2003.
Early in his career, Nadal was recognized for being the nephew of soccer player, Miguel Angel Nadal. However, thanks to his outstanding achievements and good performances on the court, he has earned worldwide recognition for his undeniable talent.
The Spanish tennis player is also the youngest player to win the Davis Cup, as an 18-year-old. But at the same age, he suffered a fracture in his left ankle and missed the 2004 French Open.
In 2004 Miami Masters, Nadal had his first game against his big rival, Roger Federer. Moreover, in this same year he won his first ATP Tour event.
At the final of the 2005 French Open, Nadal became the third male tennis player who managed to win the Grand Slam in his first attempt after defeating Mariano Puerta. And after this, at age 19, Nadal was considered one of the favorites on clay court.
In 2005, Nadal won 16 consecutive games and three consecutive tournaments. Nadal is the first player to win Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome in a row since Thomas Muster in 1995.
In Wimbledon 2008, Nadal and Federer played the longest final in Wimbledon history, which took 4 hours and 48 minutes and is considered as the best match in tennis history.
Regarding his personal life, the player has said that he is a fan of Real Mallorca and Real Madrid.
Also, he likes to play the PlayStation and says that his favorite drink is Coca-Cola!
