"He is like a beast, an animal, on the court. He's very strong, and he's very well prepared."
– Guillermo Coria after losing to Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo
Even though Rafael had turned professional in 2001 and was victorious in many matches, he still held the moniker of El Niño. That nickname wouldn’t last long: as the 2003 season began, he would climb his way toward the number one position in the world of tennis. Up to this point, he hadn’t moved up nor down very much within the world player standings. With the opening of the 2003 ATP season, that would change, and Rafael would begin to make his climb toward the top.
His first step toward the number one player position was with impressive victories within the first four Challenger events of the year. Racking up wins against quality players such as Karol Kucera, Albert Costa and Carlos Moya—just to name a few—the name “Rafael Nadal” was quickly becoming well-known by that spring. Word about Rafael’s style of “never say die” play spread like wildfire with the players, and any player who found himself or herself matched-up against Rafael knew that it was going to be a long day.
Rafael’s style of play not only impressed players he would find himself matched up against, but it would often win over crowds who watched him in amazement. Diving for a return that would prove to stun his opponent for a win, returning a shot from well behind the baseline for a win when it appeared he was merely trying to survive his opponents onslaught, or a simple drop shot just over the net during a hard-returning match made the crowds watch in awe at their newly found favorite tennis player. This style of play is an exciting and oftentimes heart-stopping style that brings both new and longtime tennis fans to the court.
Rafael isn’t just a phenomenon on the court. His off-court style is just as awe-inspiring. He has brought a tennis clothing style to the court that has never been seen before. With his outlandishly colored shirts, his capris-style shorts, and that signature headband, he is leading the charge on what “tennis style” is. Anyone can clearly see that he not only wants to have fun while playing tennis, he wants to have fun dressing for tennis.
Rafael has also inspired a new celebratory method after a tournament victory by biting the winning trophy. No one knows why he does this, but it is clear that it is his own unique style that he wants the world to see.
The last personality trait that has turned “Rafael” into “Rafa” for fans is his simple lifestyle. He still lives with his mother, father and sister in his childhood town of Manacor and still roots for all the childhood sports teams that he once did. Nothing much has changed for Rafa except that he is now a little more famous—a quote which he has made on more than a few occasions.
All of these characteristics combined make one of the most exciting players the tennis world has ever seen. He has definitely won the title of the “Fans Champion.” He has also won the right to be called “Rafa.”