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Men’s Tennis: Rafael Nadal, the Making of a Champion, Part 2
Published: July 20, 2012
Turning Professional
In early 2001, at age 14, Rafa began playing the qualifying draws of professional tournaments.
Although he managed to win some matches, he failed to qualify for the main draws in any of the 10 Spanish Futures he played between January and September.
Then, having been given a wild-card into the main draw of the Challenger in Seville, he won his first main-draw match and gained five ATP points to become world No.1002.
At age 15, Rafa ended 2001 world No. 811.
In April 2002, age 15 years and 10 months and ranked world No. 762, he became only the ninth man in the Open era to win an ATP match before his 16th birthday.
Having received a wild-card, he beat world No.88 Ramon Delgado in straight sets at the tournament in Mallorca before losing in the next round to Olivier Rochus.
This result moved him to world No. 588.
Having never played an ITF junior event and, with the help of a wild-card, he then reached the semifinals at junior Wimbledon (his only ever appearance in a Grand Slam junior event).
Having turned 16, Rafa then won six of the nine Futures events he entered from July until December.
Having reached the semifinals and last-16 of Challengers at Barcelona and Seville respectively and finished the year winning back-to-back Futures events in Gran Canaria, Rafa ended 2002 world No. 199.
In early 2003 Rafa’s incredible ascent continued.
He reached the finals of Challengers at Hamburg, Cherbourg and Cagliari and won at Barletta.
He then qualified for the Monte Carlo Masters, where in the second round he beat the 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa and entered the world’s top 100.
Rafa then reached the third round of Wimbledon and the second round of the US Open.
By August he had entered the top 50 and was named ATP...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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