Practice Next to Nadal?

Written by: Staff on 13th March 2012

Practice Next to Nadal?

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball during his men's semi final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2012. Nadal won in four sets. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG |

Hey folks, I’ve been very busy at the 2012 BNP Paribas Open but I wanted to share a story with you really quick. Yesterday my friend Juan Viloca wanted to hit some balls and play a set. He’s currently traveling with Flavia Pennetta but since she’s out of the tournament, he had some time to practice with me.

It was still late afternoon and we didn’t want to take any of the closer courts reserved for players getting ready for their matches. Sam Querrey was fighting his way through an autograph mob and we narrowly escaped the clamoring. As we crossed the soccer field, Juan to the way back of the facility by Welby’s wall and there, lo and behold, was Rafael Nadal getting ready for his doubles match. Juan and I looked at each other and decided we should go ahead and take the court right next to him. The whole Rafa camp knew Juan and they started speaking in Spanish to each other. Juan took a video of his friends, then me, then Rafa, to savor the moment later on. Rafa was hitting serves and there was a crowd 5-people deep trying to get a good look or autograph. And here I was on the court next to him warming up somehow, talk about a dream come true?

Juan finished speaking with Francisco Roig and we started to hit. I was mainly focused on playing well because Juan is such a good player and if I’m not at my best he wipes the court with me. We were just hitting up the middle of the court just loosening up and I was so focused I didn’t see that Rafa had finished his practice and wanted to cross our court to get back to the clubhouse safely behind secured fences. So I brainlessly kept hitting, not missing a ball, making the 10-time Slam winner wait… I can’t really recall who missed (I think it was Viloca), but Nadal cheerfully walked across the court chuckling and speaking some words to Viloca, his entourage following and giving me some eye-contact and a hand in the air for friendship/thanks/stop-playing-you-moron-it’s-Nadal-crossing… I felt the moment and expressed it to myself as: “Wow”.

Let me share one more thought with you: It’s one thing to hear about the humility and camaraderie of the Spaniards on the television or internet, but it’s something entirely different to witness and listen to it with your own eyes and ears. I’ve witnessed Nadal hugging his hitting partner on the court, laughing, smiling, becoming intensely serious for a minute, then back to soccer tricks with a tennis ball or cracking jokes. It’s these kinds of stories that make the BNP Paribas event so special because the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is built to make things very fan-friendly. I hope you’ve also had unique and enjoyable stories with the pros as well.

Shubert