UAn image that now repeats itself and a lot is that of a very young Rafael Nadal, who at 14 was the standard bearer for the Spanish team in the Sant Jordi final. The Balearic was there after his name was suggested by Pedro Hernndez, the RFET communications manager, who already knew of his achievements in lower categories.
“Pedro proposed it and it seemed good to all of us because in the Federation we already knew of its potential”, says Albert Riba, the technical director of the time. “He was the best of his generation in the world together with the French Richard Gasquet and it was an award for his career. Normally, boys from clubs are chosen to carry the flag at the opening ceremony,” recalls Agust Pujol, president of the federative entity.
Nadal, a cheeky on the court, appeared with all his shyness and barely opened his mouth even though he was introduced to the players and Lex Corretja tried to talk to him: “I didn’t know him. I spoke to him several times because I was the one who He was next to me, but Rafa spoke rather little. ”
Juan Avendao, member of the G4 and technical manager of the CAR of Sant Cugat, had seen the promise of the Balearic Islands lose the final of the Spanish Children’s Championship two years earlier at the Vic Tennis Club against Jos Antonio Sánchez de Luna: “But at that moment The first thing I thought when I saw him was that he was a ball boy. ”
For Juan Carlos Ferrero he was also a true stranger: “They told me he was a kid who played well.” Joan Balcells remembers that they introduced him to Nadal before starting the matches: “They told us that he was a promise and then he became the best in history.”
The only member of the Navy who knew about Rafa was Albert Costa. He had met him in a test of the Nike circuit held at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. “Ball with him and I already saw that he had something special. Although of course he could not think that he would win what he has won later.”
The kid from Spain’s first Davis Cup won’t take long to savor the Silver Salad Bowl. Four years later, he would raise the title in the Cartuja of Seville before a world power like the United States. It will be the first of his five wound. “I always liked team competitions,” he emphasizes.
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