My two favorite tennis players
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal began playing tennis at age three and turned pro at 15. Known as the "King of Clay" for his skill playing on clay courts, as well as his topspin-heavy shots and tenacity, Nadal has won a record 13 French Open singles titles and is tied for first all-time in the men's game with 20 Grand Slam titles.Rafael Nadal was born in Mallorca, Spain, on June 3, 1986. When he was three years old, his uncle, Toni Nadal, a former professional tennis player, started working with him, seeing an aptitude for the sport in young Rafael. Despite enduring shoulder and foot injuries, Nadal won his second straight French Open and added four more titles in 2006. The following year, he won again at Roland Garros and took home five other titles. Nadal poured it on in 2008, winning the French Open again, in addition to winning Wimbledon — where he beat rival Roger Federer in the longest final in Wimbledon history — as well as taking home the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. After Wimbledon, Nadal's winning streak stood at a career-best 32 matches. Nadal is truly the definition of a warrior that never gives up on the court. You only need to see one of his matches to realize that. ("Rafael Nadal," 2020)
Roger Federer
Tennis star Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981, in Basel, Switzerland, to Swiss father Robert Federer and South African mother Lynette Du Rand. Federer's parents met while on a business trip for a pharmaceutical company, where they both worked.Roger Federer was among his country's top junior tennis players by age 11. He turned pro in 1998, and with his victory at Wimbledon in 2003 he became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam singles title. Federer has won a record-setting 20 Grand Slam singles championships. In July 2017, the tennis star won a record-breaking eighth Wimbledon title, at the age of 35. Federer held on to his No. 1 ranking from 2004 into 2008. In 2006 and '07, he won the singles championships at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. A paragon of graceful athleticism, Federer was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year from 2005-08. Roger Federer is the perfect example of how far talent and hard work can get you in life. ("Roger Federer," 2020)