Rafa

Author: Rafael Nadal
Publisher: Hachette Books
ISBN: 1401303927
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 280

Book Description
In his memoir, written with award-winning journalist John Carlin, tennis star Rafael Nadal reveals the secrets of his game and shares the inspiring personal story behind his success. What makes a champion? What does it take to be the best in the world at your sport? Rafael Nadal has the answers. It begins in Mallorca, where the tight-knit Nadal family has lived for generations. Coached by his uncle Toni from the age of four and taught humility and respect by his parents, Nadal has managed the uncommon feat of becoming an acclaimed global celebrity while remaining a gracious, hardworking role model for people in all walks of life. Now he takes us behind the scenes, from winning the Wimbledon 2008 final -- described by John McEnroe as "the greatest game of tennis" he had ever seen -- to the family problems that brought him low in 2009 and the numerous injuries that have threatened his career. With candor and intelligence, Nadal brings readers on his dramatic and triumphant journey, never losing sight of the prize he values above all others: the unity and love of his family. From RAFA:"During a match, you are in a permanent battle to fight back your everyday vulnerabilities, bottle up your human feelings. The more bottled up they are, the greater your chances of winning, so long as you've trained as hard as you play and the gap in talent is not too wide between you and your rival. The gap in talent with Federer existed, but it was not impossibly wide. It was narrow enough, even on his favorite surface in the tournament he played best, for me to know that if I silenced the doubts and fears, and exaggerated hopes, inside my head better than he did, I could beat him. You have to cage yourself in protective armor, turn yourself into a bloodless warrior. It's a kind of self-hypnosis, a game you play, with deadly seriousness, to disguise your own weaknesses from yourself, as well as from your rival."

Rafa Nadal

Author: Marta Barroso
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
ISBN: 8416733082
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32

Book Description
Thanks to his modest personality, from an early age the great tennis player Rafa Nadal discovered what really matters, and the values that would be the guiding principles for his life. Guided Reading Level: P, Lexile Level: 930L

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

Author: Sebastián Fest
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1510730729
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 396

Book Description
Since 2004, two names have dominated men’s tennis: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Each player is legendary in his own right. The Spanish Nadal is the winner of sixteen Grand Slam titles, including five consecutive French Open singles titles from 2010-2014, and is the only player ever to win a Grand Slam for ten straight years. Federer, from Switzerland, has spent over three hundred weeks of his career ranked as the number-one player in the world and has won twenty Grand Slam titles and two Olympic medals. But neither player’s career would have been nearly as successful without the decade-long rivalry that pushed them to rise to the peak of tennis excellence. Nadal and Federer have met thirty-eight times over the course of their careers, and have shared the distinction of being ranked the two best players in the world for an astounding six years in a row from 2005-2009. In Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, international sports journalist Sebastian Fest uses information gleaned from his numerous interviews with both players over the last decade to narrate the rivalry, and its impact not only on the players, but on the sport itself. Documenting their respective wins and losses, hopes and disappointments, and relationships with their rivals, Fest formulates a unique biography of two of the greatest players of tennis. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The Book of Unknown Americans

Author: Cristina Henríquez
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0385350856
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 251

Book Description
A stunning novel of hopes and dreams, guilt and love—a book that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be American and "illuminates the lives behind the current debates about Latino immigration" (The New York Times Book Review). When fifteen-year-old Maribel Rivera sustains a terrible injury, the Riveras leave behind a comfortable life in Mexico and risk everything to come to the United States so that Maribel can have the care she needs. Once they arrive, it’s not long before Maribel attracts the attention of Mayor Toro, the son of one of their new neighbors, who sees a kindred spirit in this beautiful, damaged outsider. Their love story sets in motion events that will have profound repercussions for everyone involved. Here Henríquez seamlessly interweaves the story of these star-crossed lovers, and of the Rivera and Toro families, with the testimonials of men and women who have come to the United States from all over Latin America.

Rafa Counts on Papá

Author: Joe Cepeda
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780316540896
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 40

Book Description
"Rafa and his dad love to measure anything and everything-including how much Rafa's dad loves him"--

Rafa Nadal

Author: Dominic Bliss
Publisher: Ivy Press
ISBN: 0711276153
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Book Description
This book is the complete guide to one of the greatest tennis players of the 21st century, winner of 22 grand slam men's singles titles, and undisputed King of the tennis court, Spain's raging bull, Rafael Nadal. This fully illustrated biography charts his journey to the top, from his early days being coached by his uncle Toni in Mallorca and dreaming of being a professional footballer, through his early tournament career, turning professional, his first senior ATP win, first grand slam win at Roland Garros, first Wimbledon win and first Olympic gold medal and record breaking 21st Grand Slam win. Written by Dominic Bliss, a veteran tennis journalist who has followed Nadal’s career closely both on and off the court, this biography tracks Rafa’s journey from painfully shy pin-up boy to senior statesman on the ATP Tour who continues to conquer worldwide, most recently claiming his 14th Roland Garros and 22nd Grand Slam title at the French Open in June 2022. Structured around 10 key matches in his long career, it takes readers from his first national junior championship win at age 14 (when he played with the pain of a broken finger on his racquet hand) through to his 21st Grand Slam title in January 2022, where he came back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev in an epic 5-set match. From his need for water bottles to be arranged 'a certain way' on the court, to his charity work raising $17 million to help the Red Cross’ efforts to support those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, this book examines every angle of Rafa as a human being, a model athlete, a serial winner. This definitive work on one of tennis' all time greats is not to be missed!

This is how You Lose Her

Author: Junot Díaz
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1594632855
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 239

Book Description
Presents a collection of stories that explores the heartbreak and radiance of love as it is shaped by passion, betrayal, and the echoes of intimacy.

Hardcourt Confidential

Author: Patrick McEnroe
Publisher: Hachette Books
ISBN: 140139597X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 341

Book Description
An entertaining and unfiltered look at professional tennis as only Patrick McEnroe can offer. Patrick McEnroe has been in the world of professional tennis in one way or another for most of his life. As a player, coach, and ESPN commentator, he's seen it all. The significant tennis books of recent years have all been autobiographies--famous players burnishing their image or attempting to set the record straight within carefully controlled memoirs. No one has been willing to do a book that pulls back the curtain and presents an honest, no-holds-barred look into the ultimate gentleman's sport and the larger-than-life personalities that inhabit it. Patrick McEnroe does just that. Curious to know which marquee player threw a tantrum and bailed early on a tournament? Why Roger Federer, presumably the greatest player of all time, has a losing head-to-head record with Rafael Nadal? Why certain tennis prodigies burned out early? The real role of coaches like Nick Bollettieri? Which player is as much of a diva off the court as on? The greatest match ever played? In Hardcourt Confidential, McEnroe uses his twenty-five-plus years in the trenches of the game to tell true tales and wild stories about the players you think you know (from Sampras to Agassi to Roddick to the Williams sisters), how and why the game has changed since he first swung a racket, and what the future holds in store for American tennis. McEnroe takes an unapologetic look at the men, women, and events of the past three decades, right up to the epic Federer vs. Nadal rivalry that dominates the game today. He's got a lot to say and he's not afraid to say it.

Strokes of Genius

Author: L. Jon Wertheim
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0547416490
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 221

Book Description
The executive editor of Sports Illustrated offers an in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes look at the historic 2008 match between tennis titans. In the 2008 Wimbledon men’s final, Centre Court was a stage set worthy of Shakespearean drama. Five-time champion Roger Federer was on track to take his rightful place as the most dominant player in the history of the game. He just needed to cling to his trajectory. So, in the last few moments of daylight, Centre Court witnessed a coronation. Only it wasn’t a crowning for the Swiss heir apparent but for a swashbuckling Spaniard. Twenty-two-year-old Rafael Nadal prevailed, in five sets, in what was, according to the author, “essentially a four-hour, forty-eight-minute infomercial for everything that is right about tennis—a festival of skill, accuracy, grace, strength, speed, endurance, determination, and sportsmanship.” It was also the encapsulation of a fascinating rivalry, hard fought and of historic proportions. In the tradition of John McPhee’s classic Levels of the Game, Strokes of Genius deconstructs this defining moment in sport, using that match as the backbone of a provocative, thoughtful, and entertaining look at the science, art, psychology, technology, strategy, and personality that go into a single tennis match. With vivid, intimate detail, Wertheim re-creates this epic battle in a book that is both a study of the mechanics and art of the game and the portrait of a rivalry as dramatic as that of Ali–Frazier, Palmer–Nicklaus, and McEnroe–Borg. “Deftly touches on all the defining factors of contemporary tennis.” —San Francisco Chronicle “Illuminates a kingdom changing hands. An engrossing book.” —Bud Collins

Rafael Nadal

Author: Tom Oldfield
Publisher: Blake Publishing
ISBN: 9781844549498
Category : Tennis players
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The must-have biography for all fans of the electric Olympic gold medalist and six-time grand-slam champion, updated to include the full 2009 season, including injuries and successes Here is the unbelievable story of Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. He was 19 years old when he won the 2005 French Open in his very first appearance at the event. A left-hander with a booming forehand, Nadal had been known as a clay-court specialist since playing his first pro tournaments in 2001. His aggressive style, flowing hair, and muscular build have made him a fan favorite as well. He won his first singles title in 2004, and had a breakout season in 2005, winning at Monte Carlo, Rome, Barcelona, and Stuttgart as well as at Roland Garros. He won the French Open again in 2006, 2007, and 2008, defeating rival Roger Federer in the final each time. In 2008 he broke through at Wimbledon, beating Federer to win the men's singles title in a spectacular fashion. No Nadal fan will want to be without this comprehensive biography.