'Rafael Nadal was training as if...', says young star

Rafael Nadal is a source of inspiration for many colleagues, not only in the world of tennis, but also in other disciplines. Few of him would have imagined that the Spaniard would be able to extend his career beyond 30 years, especially due to a very expensive style of play from a physical point of view. This year the former world number 1 has taken away the satisfaction of winning his 13th Roland Garros, the fourth without giving up even a set over the two weeks in Paris. Thanks to that triumph, the 34-year-old from Manacor also crowned a very long chase by finally catching up with eternal rival Roger Federer at 20 slams. Rafa also pledged to break the Finals taboo, but his ride at London's O2 Arena was cut short by future winner Daniil Medvedev. In a recent interview with ESPN, Canadian starlet Leylah Fernandez revealed how impressive it was to see Nadal training a few meters away during the 2020 Australian Open. The current WTA ranking number 88, who came from the qualifiers, said how the Iberian was so intense in the execution of his exercises to induce her to give her all in order not to disfigure.

Fernandez on her passion for Rafael Nadal

"Rafael Nadal was training as if he was playing a match," Leylah Fernandez recalled. "He was so intense out there. There was a crowd watching so I wanted to impress them, too, and it put so much pressure on me. There were so many unknowns for me at that point and I didn't know how I was going to play [throughout the season], but seeing him out there inspired me to play like that in my trainings, too, and step it up. It was definitely one of those surreal moments," she added. The new dawn has arrived with some great news from Australia. The opening Grand Slam of 2021 will unfold as expected as its final reports are on the way. Reportedly, the dates, the protocols, and the schedule of the Summer Events in Australia are confirmed. However, the players’ compliance with the various conditions of the Australian Open is necessary. One great benefit for players is the five hours they can spend outside hotel rooms per day. Breaking it further, only two of the five hours are for on-court training with one other player. And 90 minutes of the five hours can be used for the gym. As for COVID-19 testing, every player needs six negative texts – one before arrival and the rest on the location – before playing the Australian Grand Slam. In case a player gets a positive result, he/she can take one more test to avoid false negatives. Once the two-week mandatory quarantine is over, players can train with three other players instead of one.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3nAHBcI