Why does Rafael Nadal play left-handed? Find out what else can the Grand Slam record-holder do with his left hand

Rafael Nadal was just eight years old when his uncle and former coach Toni Nadal noticed that while playing tennis, his left hand was stronger than the right one, and hence they decided to make the switch.

However, it still surprises many when they find out that the 36-year-old is, indeed, a natural right-hander. Tennis and football are the only sports that Nadal does left-handed.

Nadal turned pro in 2001 and lifted his first Grand Slam title in 2005 at the age of 19 years and two days. As of now, the 36-year-old is the record-holder for Major titles with 22.

Over the years, quite a few players have chosen the Spaniard's left-handed forehand as the best in the sport. During an interview a couple of years ago, Nadal commented on his ambidextrous abilities, calling it "a bit strange."

"For me, a stroke in golf is like a tennis backhand. I started playing golf when I was at the age of 17 or 18, and naturally I started playing with my right hand. I'm a little bit strange in all of that. I eat and play basketball with the right, I play tennis and football with the left. It's a bit strange," Rafael Nadal said.

When a not-so-strong Nadal started playing tennis, he used to play with two backhands just to make sure that the ball reached the other side of the net. Toni once weighed in on the entire scenario, revealing that he asked his nephew to stop playing with both hands on both sides.

"At the start, he played with two hands. I had the impression that he was stronger on his left side than on his right side. So, I figured that he was left-handed. It’s as simple as that. The only thing I did advise Rafa at the age of ten was that he needed to stop playing his forehand with two hands because no top player had a two-handed forehand and I couldn’t imagine my nephew being the first.

So, this is all there is to this story. Would Rafa be as strong now if he used his right hand? That’s something we don’t know and we will never know,” Toni Nadal said.

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Rafael Nadal's schedule for August and September

Rafael Nadal at the 2019 US Open.

After withdrawing from the 2022 Wimbledon Championships a day before his semifinal clash against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal muscle tear, Rafael Nadal took some time to recover off the court. The Spaniard will once again turn his focus to the upcoming US Open swing and the World No. 3 is set to play the National Bank Open, held from August 7-14.

Nadal will next compete at the Western & Southern Open, or the Cincinnati Masters, which will be held from August 14-21. The fourth Major of the year — the US Open — is scheduled to begin on August 29. Tha 4-time winner will aim for a fifth title to equal Roger Federer's tally in the US.

He will finally arrive in London for the fifth edition of the Laver Cup, to be played from September 23-25. In one of the most anticipated events, Nadal and Federer will be joined by Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to play for Team Europe.