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Rafael Nadal was arguably the greatest teenager in the history of men's tennis, having won Roland Garros just a few days after his 19th birthday. And many have credited the Spanish phenom's early success to his values and strong mental ability.
Perhaps to pass down these values, the World No. 2 began the Rafa Nadal Academy in his hometown of Manacor - with the stated aim of nurturing talented young athletes and teaching them the importance of hard work and discipline.
Recently, Under-14 coach at Rafael Nadal's academy Jeremy Paisan revealed what it meant to be a student at the institution and the degree to which the Spaniard himself is involved in the operations.
Rafael Nadal is at home here: Jeremy Paisan
Paisan spoke about the involvement of Rafael Nadal at the academy and how much his mentality has shaped the operations performed by the coaches.
"Rafa is at home here," said Paisan. "He is very often with us when he can. As soon as he is not on the circuit, he hits the ball on the courts, it is a treat for the students who can also compete with him from time to time."
"Rafa is very involved and always wants to stay informed about what is going on with the students. He is very attentive to all the small details, nothing is left to chance."
With the vision of constant improvement, the Rafa Nadal Academy has recently expanded its facilities to make sure the students have everything they need. The Spaniard has taken every effort to ensure that there is no deficiency in training, education, psychological development or nutrition.
"He really wants the students to feel good, that they have the means to flourish, that we are ultimately as much life coaches as tennis coaches," continued Paisan. "We also carry a vision that Rafa instilled in us, these are values like honesty, work, respect. It all has to be focused on the attitude on the court."
The academy was started by Rafael Nadal in 2016. And after his uncle Toni quit his long-standing role as the Spaniard's coach, he was appointed as the director of the Academy.
"Toni has very clear principles in terms of play, technique, tactics," asserted Paisan. "His advice is invaluable and his experience is incredibly rich. He comes to the courts every day to support and encourage us. He acts almost like a father with his children, reinforcing the idea that we are a big family."
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