A look at Rafael Nadal’s musical tastes and tennis career

As one of the world’s most successful and recognizable sports stars, Rafael Nadal has gained legions of fans all over the planet. Yet, even if you enjoy watching the Spanish tennis player there may be some things about him that you don’t yet know.

His Wide Range of Musical Tastes

In an interview with GQ Magazine that was reported by Essentially Sports, Nadal pointed out that he enjoys listening to just about any type of music. In fact, he claims that he listens to opera, pop, rock, and just about anything else. The one exception is electronic music, which he says that he doesn’t listen to at all.

Nadal points out that his ideal type of music “depends on the moment” and the mood that he is in at the time. The 35-year-old states that he carries his earphones with him everywhere he goes so that he can listen to his favorite songs in situations such as when traveling on a plane or just before a big match begins.

Other reports suggest that his favorite song is “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera, which he says he has seen in New York several times. Other sources suggest that classic Spanish and Latin singers like Alejandro Sanz and Shakira are among his favorites.

His tennis career

Nadal is one of the most successful tennis players of all time, which is confirmed by the fact that he has been ranked as world No. 1 for 209 weeks in total. His total of 20 Grand Slam titles makes him tied atop the all-time men’s singles list with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

He also shares the record of Master 1000 titles with Djokovic at 36. One record that he holds all on his own is the 13 times that he was won the French Open, as no other man has ever won a single tournament so many times.

Nadal, of course, is particularly strong on clay—with many of his numerous triumphs coming on this surface. As a left-handed player with a powerful forehand, Nadal is an extremely difficult opponent. His rivalries with Federer and Djokovic have lit up the scene and dominated the sport for more than a decade.

This success makes him a favorite among fans looking to place a bet. Since different bookmakers offer varying odds, it is important to compare on a betting hub like SBO. Here, we can see the current welcome bonuses that are available from the top betting sites. Other options compared here include live streaming, mobile compatibility, and in-play betting. When healthy, Nadal is often a favorite with the bookmakers. Fans new to this scene will find sites like this useful as it helps convert odds as well as give general betting strategies, among other details.

The current situation

Currently sitting at No. 5 in the world rankings, Nadal has suffered a tough season in which he played in just seven tournaments, five of which came on clay. Injury issues and exhaustion were among the reasons why he withdrew from Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. The Mallorca native recently pulled out of the U.S. Open, as well, while announcing that will not return until 2022.

This year also saw Nadal crash out of the French Open at the semifinal stage. His loss to Novak Djokovic was only the third time in his 16-year pro career that he has tasted defeat at the French Open. During an appearance on RTVE, coach Carlos Moya blamed the “physical and mental pressure” of the clay season.

At 35 years old, it can be argued that the best years of Nadal’s career may be behind him. However, it is worth remembering that he has been written off in the past, too—most notably at the start of 2016 when some surprising defeats caused analysts to question if the days of Nadal winning big tournaments were over.

As arguably the best men’s tennis player of all time, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Nadal return to winning ways next season. However, even if that doesn’t happen the Spaniard has done more than enough during an incredible career to earn his place in the history books.