It's amazing how hard Rafael Nadal hits the ball even in practice, says Finnish wonderkid

Rafael Nadal was arguably the most successful teenager in tennis history. The 17-time Grand Slam Champion was just 19 years old when he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005. By the age of 22 the Spaniard had amassed four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal, and had topped Roger Federer to become the No. 1 player in the world.

It comes as no surprise then that Rafael Nadal and his former coach and uncle - Toni Nadal - are both committed to developing the abilities of young, up-and-coming tennis players from across the world. Started in 2016, the Rafa Nadal Academy is based in the World No. 2's hometown of Mallorca, and is headed by his uncle Toni.

Rafael Nadal himself keeps a close eye on the players that go in and out of the academy, and is often seen engaging with the talented youngsters there.

Recently, young Finnish player Emil Ruusuvuori recalled the time he spent at the Rafa Ndal Academy for a brief period during the 2019 off-season. Ruusuvuori also talked about what he learnt in a training session with Rafael Nadal, a player he has admired since the age of six.

There are many thing I can learn from just one practice: Ruusuvuori on training with Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal at the Brisbane International

Ruusuvuori was six years old when Rafael Nadal won his first Roland Garros title, and he has fond memories of watching both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on TV in his younger days. The Finn, who is part of ATP'S Next Gen, recounted his training session with the World No. 2 in Mallorca as reported by the ATP Tour's official website.

"It’s something really different, the way he hits the ball and how he keeps the practice so intense. It’s something I’d never experienced and it’s one of the best memories I have on the tennis court,” said Ruusuvuori.

The Finn further went on to talk about Rafael Nadal's intensity during the training session and how he is an inspiration for all young players. The 21-year-old admitted that at times it is hard to cope with the Spaniard, even in training.

"From the first ball [it’s amazing] how hard he hits and just throughout the practice how intense he is. In every practice he’s like that, so it’s amazing how he keeps his focus so high," said Ruusuvuori. "Every single time he gets something out of practice. There were many things you can see and learn from that, even if it was one practice."

The young Finn won four Challenger level tournaments on the ATP circuit last year. When asked what he wants to achieve on the tennis court over his career, he had a straightforward answer.

“A Grand Slam win,” said Ruusuvuori. “That’s a pretty easy question.”