Judy Murray hails Rafael Nadal for "sharing experiences and expertise" with budding young players at event organized by Tennis Australia
Judy Murray has heaped praise on Rafael Nadal for taking the time out to interact with budding young players and offer them precious advice at an event recently organized by Tennis Australia.
Andy Murray's mother quoted-tweeted a video posted by the Tennis Channel from the Rafa Nadal Australian Tour Masters, an event that focuses on combining the competitive aspect of tournaments with recreational activities for kids.
In the video, Nadal first broke the ice by asking the kids about their New Year's. The Spaniard went on to give them some advice, telling them it was important to embrace mistakes and not be too hard on themselves when things don't go their way.
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"My advice is just to go on the court every day with the idea to be a better player, with the concentration and with the passion to improve something in your game. Everybody has doubts, everybody has frustrations and is making mistakes. The most important thing is how you react. Keep going," Nadal said.
Nadal's interaction with the children clearly caught the attention of Judy Murray, who said she loved the fact that the 34-year-old was "giving back" to the young generation. She also hailed the Spaniard for sharing his personal experiences with them.
"Love this. Giving back to the sport. Sharing experiences and expertise with the next generation," Judy Murray wrote on her Twitter handle.
@TennisAustralia @AustralianOpen twitter.com/tennischanneli…
Love this. Giving back to the sport. Sharing experiences and expertise with the next generation. ❤️ @TennisAustralia @AustralianOpen twitter.com/tennischanneli…
What other advice did Rafael Nadal give the kids?
During the interaction, Rafael Nadal pointed out that it was impossible to stay positive all the time, as emotions often get the better of someone, especially when they are young.
"I'm not going to tell you that you need to be positive all the time, because it's impossible."
The Spaniard also said being willing to listen to others is a very important trait.
"I think I did one very important thing when I was a kid and I still do today. It is - 'listen'. You know, listen and be ready to follow the instructions of the people next to me, no? That they want the best for me."
Towards the end of the video, two kids who posed for photos at the Rod Laver Arena were asked to give their thoughts on the 20-time Major winner's orientation. Both of them praised Nadal for imparting his knowledge to the young tennis players.
As for Nadal, he will begin his bid for a second Australian Open title and record 21st Grand Slam crown against Marcos Giron.