RAFA, by John Carlin | Review

‘But you don’t listen to your minds’ siren songs, because you know that they will lead you down a dangerously steep and slippery slope. If you flag once, you’ll flag again.’

It is rare for an elite, globally recognised and revered athlete to write an autobiography during the peak of their career, particularly at the age of 25, as was the case for Rafael Nadal when his book with John Carlin, Rafa, was published in August 2011. The book is superbly written and is an endearing account of Nadal’s rise to the top. The story provides a fascinating glimpse into life amongst Rafa’s inner circle and the pride they all share in being Mallorquin.

At the heart of Nadal’s autobiography are two underpinning narratives that accompany his otherwise chronological account of his journey: The 2008 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer and the 2010 US Open final against Novak Djokovic. What these two narratives do for the readability of the book are that they place into context the lessons a young Rafa learned when he was a kid and how his tireless dedication culminated in two of his most iconic Grand Slam victories. This style allowed me to fully appreciate the significance of the victories not only for Rafa himself but also for his tight-knit group of family and friends, a group of people always skeptical of outside influence and never hesitant to keep themselves to themselves. This insistence on keeping a low profile, underpinned by Rafa’s own fastidious devotion and routine, created the perfect, winning combination which has inspired millions of young tennis players around the world. Rafa’s story is uniquely stirring and hugely admirable.

It is clear that Rafa did not and still does not succumb to the ostentatious glamour which fame offers thriving sports stars. When he won the 2008 French Open, he wandered the streets of Paris with his father and asked whether he could finally buy himself a sports car. His father insisted that he should keep his feet on the ground and only celebrate with such a purchase if he won Wimbledon that year. In one of the most endearing confessions of the book, Rafa admits that when Federer came back from two sets down in that 2008 Wimbledon final to draw level, one of the Spaniard’s motivations for not letting his slender lead slip was the promise his father made in Paris one month before. That Rafa maintained such a seemingly simple and even child-like perspective of the events unfolding around him considering the individual reward that would await him was fascinating to discover, especially during the most intense match atmosphere he has ever experienced.

Nadal also states his case for the ideal conditions for playing Grand Slam final tennis and how to confront adversity in the arena. Instead of allowing the tension and pressure of some lost points, breaks of serve, umpire calls or reactions from the respective crowd, Rafa maintained that his mindset was to embrace the positives of his situations. Instead of being fearful when serving for a match, he would find himself celebrating this fact, not allowing doubt to creep into his mind. Instead of perceiving squandered opportunities as the reason for the adversity in which he found himself, he would celebrate the fact that he had those opportunities against such a player like Federer or Djokovic, not lamenting the mistakes he made previously. This winning mentality and ability to focus on the next point instead of having regrets is a vital ingredient to the astounding success he has enjoyed.

Not only did I learn that Rafa was immensely strong-willed in the face of adversity during such highly charged matches. What was obvious was that he trained himself to nurture this mentality from an early age under the guidance of his uncle, Toni. His relentless attitude and style of play on the court has been backed up by days, weeks, months and years of unflinching discipline and routine which stems off the court and plays out on the court and on our television screens, one particular evidence being how Rafa lines his water bottles in a certain way and repeats the same routine before each serve during a match. Rafa wrote that if he found himself not getting out of bed to go to practice at 9am after a long night out with friends, he would inevitably begin repeating such habits and by doing so, would not only sacrifice his own success, but he would also be letting down his family and friends, who had all made their own sacrifices in supporting him so loyally during the entirety of his career.

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