There has long been a major connection between tennis and golf, with many of the top players in each sport speaking highly of the other.
Both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz play golf in their down-time, while Andy Murray has begun a fledgling golf career since his retirement from tennis.
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Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have each gone on record as huge golf fans, and they even sent Team Europe a message of support ahead of last year’s Ryder Cup.
Nadal is a massive golf fan, and he heaped praise on the sport’s biggest legend, Tiger Woods, during an interview in 2012.
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Why Rafael Nadal loves Tiger Woods
Asked by the HuffPost which sports star he admires the most, the King of Clay responded by namechecking Woods.
“I admire a lot of people, but in terms of sport I’ve always loved the mentality of Tiger Woods on a golf course,” he said.
Nadal pinpointed exactly what he enjoyed about watching Woods, which comes down to the mental way he plays the sport.
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“I always love his eyes when he’s setting himself and focusing on his decision, he has a really strong, focused face and believes that he can make the shot.
“For sure, with golf it’s not a physically demanding sport like tennis. That’s what makes tennis great, you combine both things. It’s a very mental sport and at the same time can be dramatically physical.
“But I do admire the mentality of sport more than the physicality because physical performance is much easier to practice than mental performance.”
Could Rafael Nadal become a professional golfer?
Since his retirement from tennis in 2024, Nadal is often spotted playing a round of golf via his social media.
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The Spaniard has become so synonymous with golf that he has even been offered to play in the professional game.
Asked if he could join golf professional, Nadal responded: “I’ve sometimes been tempted to play, since they’ve offered me a wildcard several times. But so far, the circumstances haven’t lined up.
“In the future, who knows, but I’d need to feel like I could compete without embarrassing myself and with a real shot at rivaling, even if just against myself.”
The King of Clay is considered a “scratch” golfer, which means his handicap is zero or better.
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