"School has to be one of them” - Rafael Nadal reveals how his mother made him choose between football, tennis & school

Rafael Nadal recently participated in a Q&A session with fans, anchored by Nick McCarvel and Blair Henley, inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium ahead of the 2022 US Open.

During the session, a fan asked Nadal how he decided between soccer and tennis, given he played both sports as a child. Moreover, the Spaniard's family had a footballing history, with his uncle Miguel Angel plying his trade for FC Barcelona and RCD Mallorca.

The 22-time Major champion responded by explaining that his mother made him choose between football, tennis, and school.

“Well, my mother said I could not keep doing football, tennis and school," Rafael Nadal said. "She said, ‘pick two and school has to be one of them.’”

Blair Henley

@BlairHenley

Enjoyed Rafa’s answer to a fan’s question about how he chose between soccer and tennis:

“Well, my mother said I could not keep doing football, tennis and school. She said, ‘pick two and school has to be one of them.’”

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Enjoyed Rafa’s answer to a fan’s question about how he chose between soccer and tennis:

“Well, my mother said I could not keep doing football, tennis and school. She said, ‘pick two and school has to be one of them.’” 😂

Blair Henley

@BlairHenley

Safe to say the @usopen’s first fan-facing stop on media day was a hit.

: @usta / Mike Lawrence

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Safe to say the @usopen’s first fan-facing stop on media day was a hit.

📷: @usta / Mike Lawrence https://t.co/xJZUNFRO8G

Other players, including Stefanos Tsitsipas, also took part in the media Q&A day with fans. But so far, there is not much that is known about other things said by Nadal or any other player.

Vanni Gibertini

@vgibertini

Since players are having their media availability day, there is a Q&A session anchored by @NickMcCarvel and @BlairHenley inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Here is #RafaelNadal #USOpen2022

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Since players are having their media availability day, there is a Q&A session anchored by @NickMcCarvel and @BlairHenley inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Here is #RafaelNadal #USOpen2022 https://t.co/fwR173BzcG

"When you have a scar, it's a place that you put lot of effort when you are serving" - Rafael Nadal elaborates on his serving problems ahead of the 2022 US Open

Rafael Nadal speaks to the media ahead of the 2022 US Open

Rafael Nadal suffered an abdominal tear during Wimbledon this year, which kept him out of the sport for over a month. While the Spaniard has recovered from the tear, the scars from his injury are seemingly still affecting his ability to serve.

Speaking to the media ahead of his 2022 US Open campaign, the World No. 3 explained how his flexibility has been hampered by the aftermath of the injury, making it trickier to serve.

"It's been tough dealing with tear in abdominal. Is a tough injury because it's dangerous, it's risky. When you have a scar, it's a place that you put lot of effort when you are serving," Nadal said. "You need to find flexibility again because when you have a scar there, beginning is not flexible, is very easy to understand. The risk of breaking when you are doing an important movement back there on a thing that is not flexible like before, the risk is higher."

The Mallorcan hopes to be "competitive enough" with everything he has at his disposal.

"I am practicing. I am doing things the best way that I can. I hope to be ready for the action, no? That's the only thing that I can say. I have what I have," Nadal said. "With the tools that I have today, I hope to be competitive enough to give myself a chance."

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