Facing Nadal: Book Excerpt

By Scoop Malinowski

At age 31, Rafael Nadal continues to make history, playing perhaps the best tennis of his career. 16-1 this year, Nadal is closing in on his 900th ATP match win, his 17th major title and the $100 million career earnings mark. 

Showing no signs of decline or vulnerability, the ATP World No. 1 Nadal has been dominant this year steamrolling his way to titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona. If he can defeat Diego Schwartzman in the round of 16 tomorrow in Madrid, Nadal will break John McEnroe's record of 50 straight sets won on a single surface - in 1984 McEnroe won 49 consecutive sets on indoor carpet.

Scoop Malinowski's book "Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion" explores what it's like to play tennis against Nadal by interviewing over 50 ATP pros about their memories and experiences of sharing a tennis court with the Raging Bull of Mallorca, Spain...

Here is an excerpt of the book...

Guillermo Canas:  "I think he has the best mind on the Tour...by far."

Novak Djokovic:  "Definitely biggest rivalry I have in my tennis career."

Sergiy Stakhovsky:  "He's not going to stop until he can destroy you."

Teymuraz Gabashvili:  "He always gives you a chance to play good."

Stefan Koubek:  "Nadal's an animal. He looks like one and he plays like one [smiles]. But he's really a nice guy I have to say."

Stefan Kozlov hit with Nadal at the 2014 Sony Open in Key Biscayne:

 

“It was one of the craziest feelings I ever had, to be honest. The first couple of minutes I was trying to move my feet as fast as I could and swing as hard as I could. And the balls were just slicing off my string because of the spin. I don’t know if everyone felt that before or it’s just me. The first five minutes there with Rafa were one of a kind. Then after that, the second day I hit with him, I actually had one of the best practices of my life. So I got used to his ball after one day.”

 

Question: Rafa asked you back for the second day?

 

Stefan Kozlov: “Yeah, we hit for like four days.”

 

Question: Lasting memory of this experience?

 

Stefan Kozlov: “It took me like two hours to get into the stadium. I was waiting at the stadium entrance for two hours because they (security) didn’t know I was hitting with Rafa. I told them I was hitting with Rafa and they didn’t let me in. It was pretty crazy. Toni (Nadal) came down and helped me. Two hours we waited [smiles].”

 

Radek Stepanek:  “It’s always a standout moment to play Nadal. We played seven, eight or nine times, maybe more. Always challenging, very much so. He’s the biggest fighter on the Tour I have ever seen. Playing him, for me, is always good because he plays from the back of the court. I try to create the play, not giving him much. A few matches I got really close, but never beat him.”

 Question:  Your first memory of Rafael Nadal?

 Radek Stepanek:  “My first memory was we played in Davis Cup, deciding match in Czech Republic at two-all. For me, that moment was very disappointing loss because of playing as a team competition, which means a lot to me. So this was for me a tough defeat.”

 Question:  Do you enjoy to play Rafa, or is it too difficult to be enjoyable?

 Radek Stepanek:  “Since I never beat him, it’s difficult to play him. For everybody I think. I’m not the exception, we are all trying to beat him.”

Question:  Lasting memory of Rafa on or off court, that maybe captures his essence?

Radek Stepanek:  “For me, a great fighter on the court. Biggest fighter ever. Great person also, off the court. He’s very respectful to other guys, to all the players. He’s a really true champion.”

You can order Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion for $9.99 at amazon.com

Manny Pacquiao: The Supreme King of This Era

Manny Pacquiao, The Supreme King of This Era

By Scoop Malinowski

He wasn’t supposed to be, but by sheer force of will, extraordinary talent and divine miracle, Manny Pacquiao rose to the heights of sport and fame, in a foreign land, establishing himself as the most popular and beloved Filipino and Asian ambassador in the world.

Why did it happen? We will never understand the will of our higher power, but the phenomena of Manny Pacquiao happened and it’s still happening. The unprecedented eight division world champion will fight for the 69th time next month against Lucas Matthyse in Malaysia for the WBA welter title.

I will never forget the first time I saw Pacquiao fight – it was on the undercard of the Lewis vs Tyson 2002 superfight. Pacquiao was a dynamo like a young Duran and Tyson, stealing the show and stunning the boxing world.

You never know how a foreign lighter weight boxer’s career will turn out as they are always treated as second and third class citizens to the favored American boxers who get all the political perks and protection from the establishment. I have seen so many young non-American super talents get shafted and denied of their earned superfights and eventually fade away, but Pacquiao defied the system. Pacquiao broke down the door and conquered the planet with his two fists and fighting acumen.

After he dazzled and awed the world for years with so many sensational, breathtaking wins, the system indeed did gang up against him and tried to destroy his reputation and image with organized smear and slander campaigns, enlisting famous boxing figures to make repeated false accusations and allegations against Pacquiao. Repeat the lies over and over and many will come to believe it as truth.

Even his own trainer and promoter betrayed him at the end, but still the great Manny Pacquiao holds his head high and humble and still inspires the world with his miraculous example, boxing talent, and remarkable humility.

Make no mistake about it, despite all the deceptions and smoke and mirrors created to confuse you, Manny Pacquiao was the Muhammad Ali of his era. Simple, always with a smile and graceful humility, everybody adores this miracle of a man, who rose from the lowest poverty to become one of the greatest champions in the history of sport. So enjoy this living legend while his magical career  still evolves into the final chapters. There has never been anything like Manny Pacquiao and there never will be again.