Rafa, the suffering of a winner

"A well written life is almost as rare as a life well lived." It is severe this statement of the historian Thomas Carlyle . Severe and inaccurate if the players are Rafael Nadal and John Carlin . Maybe if Rafa is unique, but its extreme simplicity, sincerity and pride attached to the pen of the journalist and writer who recently put to paper the life, work and times of Nelson Mandela have led to an essential work for the shelves of the tennis fans and sports in general.

Rafa, my story 'allows us to get into the mindset of a champion and accompanied by the most significant events of his short but intense life. Knowing the intricacies of the costumes for Wimbledon, the Spaniard food tastes (does not like ham!) Or intimate relationship with their family and is now available to everyone. And I thank Carlin and the whole family Nadal, authentic emotional driving these 330 pages.

Like it or not sport. Admire or not Rafa Nadal, the book does not leave you indifferent. It hits in the first paragraphs read the following thought: "I know when I will finish my career is not a happy man and I want to make the most of the duration." In 25 years, having the certainty of future unhappiness must be extremely disturbing. Maybe that's why Rafa will take much juice to their daily lives, their coaches, tournaments dispute. Perhaps for this vital internalization of the culture of effort and overcoming ingrained by Toni, Rafa describes itself under rapidly methodical parameters: " I strive to become a tennis machine, but ultimately it is an endeavor impossible . I'm not a robot in tennis perfection is impossible and the challenge is to scale the summit of their own potential. " One day, as his career expires (hopefully many years from now) Nadal will realize that he could not find more ways to climb to the summit of his powers because he had reached the top. Because it exceeded to the limit. Because he won on surfaces that were vetoed. For physical impairments that would have exceeded the patience of any athlete. Because endlessly beat the greatest player of all time.

Despite the tax on Roger to provoke tears in his autobiography Nadal reflects a fervent admiration for the Swiss tennis player who comes to read as follows: "There seems born to play tennis. Their anatomy and physiology, their DNA, appear be fully adapted to the sport, become immune to injury than other mortals are doomed to suffer. " Its complex and intense relationship with Toni, his predictions about Djokovic Rafa or memories about the great games of his life are also no incentive to stop swallowing your pages.

Nadal, just 25 years and is considered by many (including me) the best Spanish sportsman in history. With him we have suffered livestock losses mourned and celebrated triumphs bitter epic. With him we have vibrated in Paris, London, Melbourne and New York. So let me leave I hope alienated neither Carlin nor the Spaniard. I think the book is poorly titled as 'Rafa, My Story'. Should be 'Rafa, Our Story'.