Wertheim's Rafa Love

From The Mailbag:

 

Does Nadal have the best PR person, or does this all come naturally to him? The guy seems to handle himself in a way that I don't think we've seen from some of these younger players. The respect he continues to show to Federer seems genuine. How does he do it?
-- Erin, Sudbury, Mass.

• A good first question on the day Jelena Jankovic (?) bashes Roger Federer but claims to admire Nadal for his modesty. For the record, Nadal does have a PR rep on the payroll, who does right by him. But clearly this "comes naturally" to him as well. As we discussed last week: anyone can spew a few slick talking points into a microphone. Yet when your rival unexpectedly breaks down in tears and you have the wherewithal to step up and console him, you're revealing much more about your nature.

Word.

What's the source of this authentic good-guy-ness? Nadal was clearly "raised right" by a mom and dad who don't exactly cut the figure of stage parents. While Nadal's island of Majorca has a reputation as a trendy Euro-destination, Nadal's hometown of Manacors is an unassuming, close-knit place where class distinctions are fuzzy and folks go to great lengths to conceal their wealth. Nadal's uncle, Miguel Angel, the former pro soccer player, was the proverbial "role model," who offered an example of how a pro athlete ought to conduct himself. Give some credit to Federer, too, for demonstrating the top player can win everything in sight and still show grace and humility.

But I think the biggest influence is Uncle Nadal, or "Uncle Hard Ass," as Pete Bodo and I have taken to calling him. I think the Republic of Tennis has grown skeptical of the relative-cum-coach. But in this case, the player's uncle not only possesses a first rate tennis cortex, but also is one of the coaches who shapes lives. At an early age, he impressed upon Nadal that "just because you can hit a tennis ball well doesn't mean you're better than anyone else."

As Nadal ascended the org chart, there was uncle to make sure the kid stayed humble. A promoter offers to fly Nadal and his camp to a tournament. No thanks, says Toni, we already bought train tickets. Nadal goes to the practice courts at the 2008 U.S. Open and realizes he's forgotten his water bottles in the locker room. Never mind the eager volunteer happy to assist the tournament's top seed; Uncle T. (Raffa = Christopher Moltisanti?) makes his nephew run back and get it. A doctor offers to see Nadal immediately; no, says uncle, he'll take a seat in the waiting room like every one else.

You could write an entire chapter about Nadal's pleasant off-court personality and how jarringly at odds it is with on-court ferocity. But give the kid his due. He not only challenges Federer's skill but also gives him a run in the mensch department.

Uncle Hard Ass??? LUB.