Rafael Nadal Receives Honors by Vanity Fair

Written by: Staff on 21st September 2012

Rafael Nadal Receives Honors by Vanity Fair

epa03257914 Rafael Nadal of Spain returns to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their final match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 10 June 2012. EPA/STEPHANE REIX |

Rafael Nadal may still be undergoing rehabilitation treatment in his bid to return to competitive tennis before too long after suffering more knee problems but the former world no.1 and reigning French Open champion is keeping a hectic social diary in Madrid.

This week the 26 year-old from Majorca has been awarded Spanish Vanity Fair’s 2012 Male Personality of the Year, attended his beloved Real Madrid’s UEFA Champion’s League soccer match at Manchester City as a guest of honor at the Bernabeu Stadium and was entertained by the United States’ Ambassador to Spain Alan Solomont and his wife Susan.

Solomont presented Nadal with American flag, packed in a triangular frame in appreciation of the champion’s feats on tennis courts across the United States.

Nadal updated this on his facebook page, “Yesterday I was received by the American ambassador to Spain in Madrid and his wife who treated us very warmly. I wanted to thank them and all the people they represent. Many thanks for the flag they offered me with!”

The Vanity Fair award was presented at the Italian embassy in Madrid. During his acceptance speech, Nadal thanked the magazine and its readers for the award, emphasizing how much their support meant in a challenging time.

However in an interview with Vanity Fair, published on Monday, Nadal said: “I don’t know how long I will keep playing tennis. I’ll be 31 in five years and taking into account the fact that I started at 16.

“Perhaps stopping now will help extend my career a little bit more. Until I had the problems with the knee again, the final at Roland Garros, had been one of the best seasons of my life. I felt able to win any competition. Complicated times came later.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Rafa, Rafael Nadal, Spanish, Spanish Vanity Fair, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News