Hitting with Rafael Nadal is an 'incredible experience', according to his sparring partner
Professional tennis players on both the ATP and the WTA tour require a sparring partner to hit the ball with. Rafael Nadal has had a number of hitting partners over the years, and one of those - Alejandro Garcia Cenzano - has now described the surreal experience of trading shots with the Mallorcan.
Cenzano is a 23-year-old southpaw from Madrid who has taken up coaching as his profession. He has sparred with the likes of Rafael Nadal, Garbine Muguruza, Genie Bouchard, Dominic Thiem and Svetlana Kuznetsova, to name just a few. Clay is his favored surface to hit on, making him a preferred choice for Nadal.
Rafael Nadal himself is currently back on the training courts in preparation for the remainder of the season. He was seen practicing on clay earlier today, which comes as yet another indication that he might skip the US Open.
The man with 12 trophies at Roland Garros would be keen to add yet another title to his record collection. His confirmation that he would be participating at the Madrid Masters left nobody in any doubt how serious he is about returning to his beloved clay.
Training with Rafael Nadal is the best that tennis has given me: Cenzano
In a recent interview with Eurosport, Cenzano was asked about his best memory in his unique profession. The Spaniard was quick to reply that it was the time he sparred with the King of Clay - Rafael Nadal.
“Training with Rafa, that’s the best tennis has given me," Cenzano said. "An incredible experience."
Rafael Nadal is often described by his associates as one of the most amiable and down-to-earth people on tour. That feeling was also echoed by Cenzano when he said:
"Since that day Rafa always comes to greet me when he sees me and asks me how is everything. I have a very good relationship with him.”
Nadal’s sparring partner also went on to describe how he often finds himself in demand, because of his leftiness.
"Something very important is that in each tournament there is also a left-handed sparring, many ask for it if they have to play with Kvitova, Nadal, Shapovalov etc,” Cenzano said.
While Cenzano may have had some memorable experiences with Rafael Nadal, he still has a dream that is yet to be fulfilled - to spar with Rafael Nadal’s friend and rival Roger Federer.