Google Translated via ESPNDesportes

Translation isnt perfect but it gets the job done. I've tried to fix what I can...Enjoy!




Just a year ago, Rafael Nadal seemed invincible. Had won his fifth Roland Garros, his second Wimbledon, and was preparing to conquer the U.S. Open for the first time in his career. Three Grand Slam titles this year. The big four in his career. Undisputed number one. King of the racket. Better impossible.
In this context, the Team Nadal gave the green light to a new project: Rafa's autobiography, a testimony to the life story behind the career success of lefty Manacor. Who is Rafael Nadal? How does he think? How doeshe feel?

Since yesterday, the book "Rafa: My Story" is available in Britain. The next August 23 will be released in the United States. And the Castilian version will arrive in October, once the translation is ready which works on John Carlin, a columnist for the newspaper El Pais in Spain, the pen behind the fantastic "The Human Factor" (the book that gave birth to the movie " Invictus ") and now co-author of the autobiography of Nadal.

"I'm polishing this translation, making a thorough job," Carlin told me to return after telephone contact after an unexpected interruption. "I just called someone Nadal environment I've been looking for. But now, even speaks the same Rafa, do not move me, "he jokes.

Throwing the autobiography of Nadal right now, in full explosion of Novak Djokovic and Rafa with the same tennis in an unexpected bump, which includes an early phase in the 1000 Montreal Masters and some suffering in Cincinnati? The situation, unforeseen and unthinkable eight months ago, continues to provide an opportunity: to understand through the book the athlete ready to fight against adversity, a man able to face their fears, the phenomenon is in your mind the ways to imposed on all within a court.

The testimony may be more valuable now, with Nadal in an apparent crossroads, with Rafa at the summit. And Carlin player has found a "doubles partner" ideal, looking thin and a vast knowledge of sport that has gone into the bowels of history for many, the best Spanish athlete of all time .

John, how did the book project of Rafa?
-people environment Nadal had contacts with people in the publishing world for a while. They decided they wanted to do a book, contacted me and asked if I wanted to. I said yes, but wanted some assurance that there would be a good collaboration with Rafael and his environment. In that sense, it did exactly what I wanted.

-When it came to the idea of working on the autobiography of Rafa, which was what most appealed to him and what he thought would be the biggest challenge? -

Rafa Nadal is a character that, seen from afar, I've always been attracted. For me, I'm a big fan of sports (especially soccer), one of the most extraordinary events I've witnessed in my life was the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer. It was just that game that Nadal recorded image in my brain and turned it into a character very interesting sport. As for the biggest challenge looming before starting the project was to have the necessary access to Rafa and his people to do a book that had substance, and new and interesting material. I recorded many hours of conversation with Rafa himself, who was the heart of everything. But I also spoke with the family - father, mother, sister, uncles, a grandfather - close friends from childhood, they remain best friends now, and people of the environment, of their professional team are also all friends. They are a kind of extended family. The officer, physical therapist, trainer fìsicof press chief, and others are always with him when he goes to the big tournaments. Rafa talks were by far the most extended much everything. Were constant.

- And how different is that you met Rafa Nadal, the public Rafa?
Of course I knew many details of his life and his feelings, but really there was nothing that surprised me in the sense that it was very far from the public image that you see. For me, Rafa Nadal is a Tipaza, is a great person. What I value in him as a person, overcoming differences, is what I value the character of the previous book I did, that is Nelson Mandela. He's very famous, highly sought after throughout the world, can not go out without a fuss is armed. A person who could have a huge ego, but does not. Is anyone absolutely respectful with everyone, no matter how the King of Spain or a child who comes to ask for an autograph. That's a quality I have seen and admired Mandela.

- Are we to discover in the book what is the secret of success Nadal? -Rafa is a person who makes a colossal effort to always be improving your game, your attitude. It is a hard worker. And to have that discipline that he has to train very hard every day, with maximum concentration, that of having your feet on the ground and know that you are not a god, but a human being, and must always follow fighting and giving as much to keep a high level.

- How Nadal lives with nomadic life on the pro circuit?
-I was with him in Australia, Qatar and Barcelona. The book does not focus much on having details of Rafa in tournaments, but a more biographical overview of his life. But it does reflect that life in the circuit. It is a tremendously intense life, first by way of being itself Rafa, who is preparing for the parties-both physically and mentally much harder than many other players, if not most or all. Before a match he withdraws into himself. His closest people leave it alone. This is no time or silly jokes. To observe this kind of autonomy, almost self-hypnosis in which he enters. But simultaneously it, Rafa is a person who is constantly besieged by us, the media bullies. A constant harassment. He accepts it as part of the business. The sponsors, fans, all kinds of people who want something from him. Protect their environment very well, but is a life of constant pressure, on many levels. And that added factor that goes a huge percentage of the year far from home. Rafa is a very very home. He is never happier than when at home in Manacor. That's where you feel really relaxed, at peace. The natural habitat is its people, their village in Majorca. And that gives you an additional credit to what makes Rafa, the fact compete and stay, even away from home for long.

-The production of the book coincided with the explosion of Djokovic. How was the experience of witnessing that particular time for the race Nadal? -You know how times the books. This is not journalism. The issue of what happened this year and this tremendous run of Djokovic, is not something we play in the book. Of course we talk about Djokovic and Rafa refers to it in his autobiography with great respect and admiration.

- Which Nadal know the reader through "Rafa: My Story"?
-The appeal of Rafa Nadal to many people in the world is that mixture of the gladiator, the warrior on the tennis court, along with that person When not competing, shown cordial, friendly, respectful. Reflects these two aspects of it in the book. Will be there all mental processes, is the tremendous concentration, point by point how he thinks. Your brain is always working. This is reflected quite well. But we also know the human being, not a gladiator, not a robot, not a tennis machine, but has its weaknesses, their vulnerabilities as any other person. In summary, I hope to do the book is to humanize the warrior.

- Could the book into film, as with Invictus?
-Ayyy, I dunno. Honestly I have not thought of. When I made ​​the other book (The Human Factor), the last thing I had in mind is that you become a movie. I do not know. All heroic figures, like Rafa Nadal in tennis, are worthy of any narrative treatment, be it a book, a documentary film. But really, honestly have not thought about this at all.