Looking for Tennis and Racket Sports International News?

"The boat is my REFUGE"

15 times Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal has chosen the MCY 76 as the yacht of his childhood dreams. Known as the “King of Clay”, Nadal is widely considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and viewed by some sports analysts, tennis writers, fans and media pundits as the greatest tennis player of the Open Era. He has achieved a record 10 titles in three different tournaments: The French Open, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. He holds the record for most titles at 3 different levels, ATP500 (Barcellona-10), Masters 1000 (Monte Carlo-10) and Grand Slams (Roland Garros-10)

What does having a boat mean for you? A place to get away from the noise and confusion every successful person is surrounded by daily, or the summary of a lifestyle? 
«Let me tell you, it’s a little bit both things. To me, being on board the Monte Carlo Yachts 76 gives me the chance to get away when I want to get away, you know. 
I love to be with people but, at the same time, it gives me the chance to get away and to be with myself, or only with the people that I want to be with, every time that I need to. 
That’s something very important with my lifestyle today. I love the sea and I think I could live on the sea, so maybe in the future I will spend a lot of time on-board, it’s something I like as a lifestyle and that I love». 

Have you already owned a boat? How did you start sailing? 
«I have always had the chance to be in contact with water. Is true that I come from a beautiful island like Mallorca but, at the same time, I have always lived here between Manacor and Porto Cristo and I have been always close to the sea. My father, ever since I was a kid, had a small boat and I always loved to go out with the boat and diving, doing many things on the sea. I had a boat, well… we had a Riviera, for fishing and I still own it. We use it for fishing, or even sunbathing. My father uses it very often. Before the MCY 76 I had a Princess V62 too. I enjoyed the boat but this is another step and I really love this one». 

“Is true that this event is tough. There is a lot of great players. I have a very tough first round against Lucas. Let's see,” Nadal said.

“Hopefully he will not finish the season that well because I play tomorrow against him,” Nadal joked.

“Tomorrow is an important day for me. Is a tough start, a difficult one. Let's see. But I am focus on try to be ready for tomorrow. I think I practiced well, so let's see tomorrow what can happen.”

“(The) good thing is I keep having the passion for the game and the love for what I am doing and the spirit of overcome tough situations in terms of physical issues."