Published 19:16 IST, October 16th 2020
Rafael Nadal joins in the 'How it started, How is it going' trend, ITF has witty reply
After conquering the tennis world, Rafael Nadal has decided to conquer social media by posting his version of the 'How it started/How it is going' trend.
The latest trend to have taken over social media is the 'How it started/How it is going' craze wherein celebrities and athletes post pictures of themselves as newbies in their chosen field and where they are now. Among the many people who have taken to this trend is Rafael Nadal. After conquering the tennis world, the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal has now decided to conquer social media.
Nadal wins the 'How it started/How it is going' trend
A young Rafael Nadal burst onto the tennis scene in 2004. In a sort of prophetic moment, Rafa won his first-ever ATP Tour title at the now discontinued ATP Challenger Series in Sopot, Poland on an outdoor clay surface - the surface that would become an integral part of his career over the years. In a picture shared by the Rafael Nadal Academy, Rafa's trophy from the event can be seen in a display cabinet with a plaque behind it commemorating the win. His name has been incorrectly spelt as 'Rafael Nadel'.
In the counterpoint picture, in the How it started/How it is going, the Academy posted a picture of a cabinet containing 20 of Rafa's Grand Slam trophies. All 13 of his French Open trophies - the 'La Coupe des Mousquetaires' - are visible in the picture. This includes the special full-sized version of the trophy that Rafa received upon completing his "La Décima", i.e. his tenth French Open win. His 7 other Grand Slam trophies - 4 US Open, 2 Wimbledon and 1 Australian Open are also placed in the cabinet.
Make a witty observation, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) commented on the picture suggesting that Rafa may need to get a bigger cabinet to fit in the rest of the Slam titles coming his way.
Rafael Nadal ATP ranking
Even after his triumphant victory at the French Open 2020, Nadal is right where he started the year - at No. 2. The Spaniard currently has 9,850 points from 18 tournaments. However, in all probability, he will end the year at No. 2, considering that the difference between his points and World No. 1 Djokovic's 11,740 is insurmountable as of now.
Djokovic is on his way to a record-breaking run at No. 1 and is set overtake Roger Federer's current record of 310 weeks by the end of 2020. Rafa first rose to No. 1 on August 18, 2008. He stayed on top for 46 weeks before being dethroned by Federer. Rafa last held the top position on November 4, 2019, for 13 weeks, taking his lifetime total to 209 weeks.
Image Credits: Roland Garros Twitter
Updated 19:16 IST, October 16th 2020