Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic men's tennis tournament is right around the corner. Get to know Rafael Nadal, who is one of the favorites to win a medal in the tennis competition.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the Olympic tennis tournaments will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, Aug. 5. The sport debuted at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896; however, it was removed from the list of events after the 1924 Paris Olympics. Tennis was reintroduced at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games. The events consist of men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. A country is only allowed to enter a maximum of 12 athletes (6 men and 6 women) in the tennis competitions, though its players can compete in more than one event.
Most of the world's best tennis players will compete in at least one of these events. Rafael Nadal is a favorite to win an Olympic medal in tennis at the London Games. Here is more information on the Spaniard.
All of the data comes from the ATP World Tour's official website unless otherwise noted.
Full Name: Rafael Nadal Parera
Nickname: Rafa
Country: Spain
Age: 26
Height: 6 feet, 1 inches
Weight: 188 pounds
Coach: Toni Nadal (Rafael's uncle)
Ambidextrous: Rafael Nadal plays tennis left-handed; however, he uses his right hand when writing.
Hometown: He was born in the city of Manacor, located on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He still calls that city home.
Personal Website: RafaelNadal.com
Twitter Name: @RafaelNadal
Hobbies: Fishing, golf, video games, and movies (per Reuters)
Rafa Nadal Foundation: Per its official website, Rafael Nadal helped to found the Rafa Nadal Foundation in November 2007. The non-profit organization helps children and teenagers who suffer from social discrimination. The foundation achieves its mission by using sports to help deprived children develop the social skills necessary to succeed.
Professional Success: Rafael Nadal turned pro in 2001. Since that time, he has won 50 tournaments and has earned over $50 million in prize money. Per Sports Illustrated, Nadal has won 11 Grand Slam titles, including seven French Open championships, two Wimbledon tournaments, one U.S. Open title, and one Australian Open championship. He is currently ranked third in the world.
Olympics: According to Reuters, Rafael Nadal competed in the 2004 Olympics (in men's doubles) but did not medal. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nadal won the gold medal in men's singles. He will try to earn his second gold medal in the event at the London Olympics; however, per The Guardian, a knee injury may hamper his ability to achieve this feat.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Spain #tennis #Olympics #SummerOlympics #games #SummerGames #sports
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