Rafa: Vamos Forever!

If you go to your local courts or tennis club, you’ll more than likely see quite a few yellow and black racquets. Those racquets are of course the iconic Babolat Pure Aero. Specifically designed for Rafael Nadal, the Pure Aero, originally called the AeroPro Drive, hit the market in 2004 and has become one of the best-selling racquets of all time. Nadal began playing with Babolat racquets as a junior player and has continued to partner with Babolat throughout his record-setting career. His style as a young player, particularly the way he moved the racquet through the air to brush up against the ball to generate spin, inspired the the aerodynamic beam structure of the Pure Aero racquets. The Pure Aero and the heavy spin of the modern game have since become synonymous with Rafael Nadal.

We’ve asked a few Tennis Warehouse and Babolat employees to share some of their favorite Rafa memories and they range from watching him play to working with him personally. A few of the memories center around his great victories, and with 18 Grand Slams, 34 Masters 1000 titles, 4 Davis Cups, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals there are quite a few. Unsurprisingly though the majority of them are about his impact on tennis, the type of man he is, and the relentless passion he brings to the court. That’s what most people remember about Rafa.

Michelle, TW: “He has completely changed the way our sport is played and the way our players train. It has become more physical, and I think he's one of the reasons for it. He is the epitome of hard work. He leaves it all on the court and is always authentic and honest, and he is never focused on what anyone else is doing but rather focused on the things he can control: his training, his mental strength, his shots, etc. And, I mean, the guy can rock a sleeveless top and capri pants like nobody else out there!”

Chris, TW: “For me what stands out the most is that before Rafa won the French Open there seemed to always be several players with a shot at the title. Once Rafa burst onto the scene everyone expected him to win the French Open every year. His dominance on clay year after year has been amazing"

Stephanie, Babolat: "The guy here at [Babolat] R and D discovered that he played a different way, and so they created the Pure Aero. It was called AeroPro Drive at the time, and it was another level. Meeting Rafa, because he has become “Rafa” for us, it was so exciting. He is a lovely person and a great athlete. All of his victories have been amazing and brought great energy and enthusiasm in the company."

Daniel, Babolat: "When I was in college, I taught tennis during the summers. 2008 Wimbledon final, Rafa vs. Fed. The match was a couple games into the fifth set as I started a group lesson. During a water break, we saw the score at 5-5 and returned to the courts. We could hear the people watching in the clubhouse get louder and louder. One of the guys in the group lesson said, “Let’s grab some beers and watch the rest of this match!” It was a crazy. The sun was setting, the tension was high, and the level of tennis was fantastic. We had no idea if they would finish, this was “pre-roof Wimbledon.” When Rafa closed it out at 9-7, the club erupted. We were so emotionally invested, it was like we were there. It’s one of the few matches I can remember exactly where I was and exactly what I was doing. I’ll never forget it. Vamos forever!"

Chris, TW: "I've loved watching the epic rivalry between Rafa and Federer; it has created some truly special moments in tennis history. No matter the tournament or the surface, whenever Rafa meets Fed you know it's going to be a great match.”

Vanessa, Babolat: "When Rafa came for a visit in Lyon, I played tennis against him and beat him! OK, we were playing against each other on a Nintendo Wii. Best memory ever!"

Jason, TW: “What I love most about Rafa and what makes him my favorite player is his fight. His ability to put his head down and play the ball, not the score. My favorite memory of him is not of the 2008 Wimbledon final against Federer or his many French Open titles, but a fourth round night match at the 2009 BNP Paribas Open against David Nalbandian. I was watching it live at the stadium. It was after a long day of work, so I was tired, and when he got down 4-6, 3-5, 0-30, I left. I didn’t want to see him lose, and it was a good excuse to get a jump start on the traffic. I came in the next day and was talking to some customers about how bummed I was that Rafa was out of the tournament. They looked at me like I was crazy. “He didn’t lose, he won!” No way. I didn’t believe them. They must've been mistaken. I had to look it up. Sure enough, he saved three match points, broke back, took the second set 7-6 and served Nalbandian a bagel in the third. He then went on to win the entire tournament without dropping another set. Relentless. That’s what makes Rafa, Rafa.”

Seth, Babolat: "I would have to say the entire 2017 year. Everyone started doubting Rafa after a tough couple of years. Then he goes out and plays an epic Australian Open final, wins La Decima, a third US Open title and finishes the year ranked No 1. What an amazing story!"

Marion, Babolat: "At Wimbledon in 2017 we were shooting with Rafa; he gets out of the taxi and realizes that he had forgotten all his stuff (bag, apparel, racquet) in the car. Rafa was a bit frustrated when he realized what happened, but he quickly took a soccer ball and started to play with his nephews and all the staff. He was so kind and humble with everyone as always!"

Jean-Christophe V, Babolat: "I have been working with Rafa since 2001, and every single moment with him is special. He is an amazing athlete and such a great person. It’s still a privilege working with him and his whole team and family. It’s tough to only select one memory, but let’s say the first time I met him in 2001. He was not under international contract yet, and I went to watch him play and discuss with him and Toni the “next steps-contract” with Babolat. This moment is still in my memory as if it were yesterday. Rafa was practicing with Carlos Moya, Sergi Bruguera and Feliciano Lopez, and I was impressed by several things. The sound of the hits (something big was happening), his full involvement on court, his eyes expressing so much passion, his dedication to fight on court, his dedication to improving and his education and respect of the game, which is still the case on and off court - a common quality of him, his team and his family."

Thanks for all the memories, Rafa. Vamos forever!