Photo: Barcex, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rafael Nadal

1986 – present · age 40^[1][2]

Sports

Fun Facts About Rafael Nadal

• Rafael Nadal played tennis left-handed but is right-handed in other activities. His uncle Toni encouraged him to switch to his left hand as a boy.^[1]
• Nadal nearly chose football over tennis: his uncle Miguel Ángel Nadal played for FC Barcelona and Spain, and Rafa only quit football when his father made him choose.^[1]
• Nadal's water-bottle ritual was so famous that when his bottles fell over at the 2015 Australian Open, a ball boy rushed to set them upright with the labels facing the court.^[1]
• Off the court Nadal is "a bit of a scaredy cat," according to his sister: he is afraid of the dark, deep water, dogs, and thunderstorms.^[1]
• Nadal partnered his great rival Roger Federer in doubles at the 2022 Laver Cup, in what was Federer's final professional match.^[1][3][4]
• Nadal has an asteroid named after him, 128036 Rafaelnadal, and a statue at the French Open's Stade Roland Garros.^[1]
• Rafael Nadal was alive at the same time as Hirohito — their lives overlapped for 3 years (1986–1989).^[1][2][5][6]
• Rafael Nadal and Lady Gaga were both born in 1986.^[1][2][7][8]

Excmo. Sr. D. Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera, 1st Marquess of Llevant de Mallorca is a Spanish former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 209 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal won 92 ATP Tour singles titles, with 22 major titles—including a record 14 French Open titles—as well as 36 Masters titles and two Olympic gold medals. Nadal is one of three men to complete the career Golden Slam in singles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay constitute the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.^[1]

Contemporaries

Noam Chomsky

40 yr overlap

Wole Soyinka

40 yr overlap

Dalai Lama

40 yr overlap

Woody Allen

40 yr overlap

Francis Ford Coppola

40 yr overlap

Bob Dylan

40 yr overlap

Billie Jean King

40 yr overlap

Aung San Suu Kyi

40 yr overlap

Steven Spielberg

40 yr overlap

Oprah Winfrey

40 yr overlap

Rigoberta Menchú

40 yr overlap

Ai Weiwei

40 yr overlap

Their World

Questions About Rafael Nadal

When was Rafael Nadal born?

Rafael Nadal was born on June 3, 1986, and is alive today.

How old is Rafael Nadal?

Rafael Nadal was born on June 3, 1986, and turned 40 on June 3, 2026.

What is Rafael Nadal known for?

Rafael Nadal is known for: Spanish tennis champion, record 14 French Open titles. Excmo. Sr. D. Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera, 1st Marquess of Llevant de Mallorca is a Spanish former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 209 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal won 92 ATP Tour singles titles, with 22 major titles—including a record 14 French Open titles—as well as 36 Masters titles and two Olympic gold medals. Nadal is one of three men to complete the career Golden Slam in singles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay constitute the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.

Who was alive at the same time as Rafael Nadal?

Rafael Nadal's closest contemporary was Noam Chomsky. Their lives overlapped for 40 years.