Rafael

My full name is Rafael Nadal Parera. My nickname is 'Rafa'. My fathers name is Sebastian, he manages his own restaurant and glass and windows business; My mother, Ana Maria, is a housewife. I also have a younger sister called Maria Isabel.I began playing tennis at age four with my uncle Toni, who is my long-time coach. Toni has coached me from the beginning of my career.I played my only junior Grand Slam event at Wimbledon in 2002 and reached the semi-finals. I come from the same area Mallorca as my countryman Carlos Moya. The city of Manacor is the second -biggest on the island of Mallorca. My other uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, is a former professional soccer player with stints at FC Barcelona, Real Mallorca, and the Spanish national team, which competed in the 2002 World Cup. Miguel also played on the other World Cup teams in 1994 and '98. Aside from tennis, I am also a big fan of Formula One driver and countryman Fernando Alonso who won the 2005 championship for the first time and was proclaimed the youngest ever champion in the history of the sport. I also enjoy golf and I am good friends with my fellow countryman Sergio Garcia.