"Work, work and work" - Rafael Nadal shares advice to middle schoolers in tennis clinic

Rafael Nadal strikes the ball during his second round match against eventual champion Borna Coric in Cincinnati last week.

Rafael Nadal is in the thick of preparations for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title bid at the US Open, but that did not stop him from spending time teaching tennis to kids.

Nadal shared tennis lessons with middle schoolers from under-resourced public schools across New York, according to a report by CeFaan Kim of ABC 7 New York.

In a video posted on the the TV station's website, Nadal could be seen giving invaluable advice to the kids, emphasizing the need to work. He also highlighted the importance of footwork in order to hit good shots, as well as keeping one's focus on the ball at the beginning, not worrying if it goes in our out.

"Work, work and work," said Rafael Nadal. "And, of course, we need to move well and to hit a good shot. If the footwork is not working and we are not moving well around the ball, then it's impossible to hit some good shots. But the main thing to start, in my opinion, is to keep looking at the ball all the time. Don't worry about if the ball goes in or out."

Nadal could also be seen trading hits with the kids and personally instructing a young girl, who, incidentally, was also a lefty, with her forehand.

"Very tough couple of years in terms of the pandemic, now with the war" - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek speak with former players Olga Savchuk (leftmost) and Sergiy Stakhovsky (second from left) during the US Open's Tennis Plays for Peace charity event.

Rafael Nadal showed off his doubles skills by partnering with World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who is a huge fan of his, to help raise funds for war-torn Ukraine.

The Spaniard played alongside Swiatek in a 10-point-set mixed doubles match for the US Open's Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition event which aims to provide humanitarian relief efforts for the country.

Post-match, Nadal said that the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine has been very tough.

"[It has been a] very tough couple of years in terms of [the] pandemic, now with the war,” said Rafael Nadal during his post-match interview as stated in an article on the ATP website.

Playing at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Nadal also expressed his excitement to be back playing in the US Open.

Nadal is setting his sights on a fifth title in New York and 23rd Major overall to tighten his grip on the Grand Slam lead.

"Excited to be back, of course. [It is] always a pleasure to play in New York and in front of, probably, the best crowd of the world," he stated in the same interview.