Rafael Nadal Poker Star Beats Daniel Negreanu

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 13th December 2013

BNP Paribas 2013 Masters Tennis Tournament

Rafael Nadal Poker Star Beats Daniel Negreanu

epa03933868 Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his semi final match against his compatriot David Ferrer at the BNP Paribas 2013 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 02 November 2013. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

No. 1 Rafael Nadal is not only no slouch on the tennis court, but he’s also not cannon fodder at the poker tables. While in Prague on Thursday, Nadal won a charity poker tournament, besting Romanian-Canadian professional poker player Daniel Negreanu who has won six World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour championship titles.

The $137,000 poker tournament was the first-ever live poker event for the Spaniard, who is sponsored by Poker Stars. He’s been training for the tournament during the fall.

“When I play tennis I know what I have to do when the difficult situations arrive and in poker I also have to learn to do that,” Nadal said.

Nadal also beat some celebrities from other sports in the poker tournament including ski racer star Alberto Tomba, soccer legends Ronaldo and Andriy Shevchenko, and Dutch field hockey champion Fatima Moreira de Melo.

“My life is still tennis, playing poker I have fun. I am learning, but at the same time I try to … be competitive,” Nadal said. “Like tennis, poker is a competition, you need to control your emotions, and you need to be focused all the time. You need to have self-control, you have to wait for your moment.”

Topics: 10sballs, Daniel Negreanu, Poker, Rafael Nadal, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News

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Jess_Keep_Real1 says:

December 13, 2013 at 7:44 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Rafael Nadal Poker Star Beats Daniel Negreanu : No. 1 Rafael Nadal is not only no slouch on the tennis… http://t.co/Dld…