Mmm Papi

Feb 08, 2009 23:39

I come bearing hi-res gifts of Rafa's Spanish Elle shoot this past January with other celebrities/athletes like Iker ( ♥ ), Pau Gasol and David Villa. The rest of the scans can be found here :)

One last warning, these aren't dial-up friendly!











Here is the translated text:

“I’ve cried a lot, now less than before but I’ve cried both with victories and with losses, though I would never call the latter failures.” Rafa’s brimming with emotion with every stroke and at the end of every match. This prodigious athlete - who won his first tourney in the Balearic Islands aged 8- knows no better moment in his life than doing what he likes best: play tennis.

“Being a tennis player and being able to compete at the highest level is the greatest achievement in my life,” he says. His secret to fly so high (lol) and still be grounded? “Knowing that tennis is only a sport and you’re not better than anyone just because you won.”

Travelling all over the world, long hours flying, nights at hotels far from home… but Rafa doesn’t get lonely because the Nadals are a tight family (clan) and they are very close. “I’m lucky I have a family backing me up that always advise me well and a great team that tell me things as they are.” Is that the secret to his maturity? “It may be, because I’m very close to my family. The relationship with my uncle is very special and there’s a great understanding from both parts.

Maybe he knows how to get the best in me and that may be a key factor.” He doesn’t feel the loneliness of the winner either, although he admits he loves collective sports: “To share the victories with your team-mates is great, but I have my team always there with me and I celebrate with them.” If he had to ‘put on a podium’ say who are the most important people in his life it’d be “my parents, my sister and my uncles”.

With so any achievements, he’s lived so many glorious moments that it’s difficult to highlight only one, although the final of the Davis Cup in Seville in 2004 “was special.” For that reason, to miss the final of 2008 in Mar de Plata (Argentine) with an injury was painful: “I would like to erase that time that I was injured and wasn’t able to compete. It was very hard to be watching the matches on TV at home.”

Have the sports achievements improved the image of Spain out there? “I think so, because we won and did it right, we gave a good image whether we won or lost. This is very important, always respect your opponent.” Although Rafa knows he gave up on lots of things to play tennis, he keeps on: “I’m very grateful (to life) and very happy with all I’ve achieved so far.” Good outlook on life.
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If some kind soul can translate the text I will love you por siempre, lol! ♥

ETA: Thank you _junestar_ for translating the article! The text is now included, under the cut!

tennis is my boyfriend, delicioso, nadal: warrior in capris, picture posts

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