Rafael Nadal transferred his hand skills to the golf course, and it was far from a wasted effort because he outlasted 75 other men to win a tournament.
Nadal is a massive fan of golf and has previously admitted that he is not a "gym guy" when it comes to maintaining his physical fitness. Instead, he keeps his body in check by swinging golf clubs. Although he is a lefty on a tennis court, Nadal is a right-handed golfer.
Last week, the Spaniard took part in the Balearic Mid-Amateur men's championships, which was held in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, his home island. Nadal has been a frequent participant since the competition was incepted in 2020.
On his first try, he finished fourth. In 2021, he was the top seed but finished sixth. Last year, Nadal had to miss the tournament because of a hip injury he sustained at the 2023 Australian Open, which cost him the remainder of the tennis season.
This year, Nadal stood above every player to win the competition. He topped the men's scratch standings after Day 1. The tournament, which is played under the stroke play format, had over 70 participants in the men's category.
Nadal was declared the winner, claiming the title by sevens trokes on Day 2 of the tournament. After the tournament, Nadal posed with the women's champion, Ana Fernandez, and the handicap champion and runners-up.
The 37-year-old was scheduled to be in Doha to play the Qatar Open but had to withdraw, citing the need for additional recovery time from a new hip injury he picked up at last month's Brisbane International.
But videos of Nadal taking part in active sports competitions are a great sign that he is on the right track with his recuperation.
The Spaniard will appear at the highly-anticipated Netflix Slam in a match against Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas in early next month before he plays his first official ATP tournament since Brisbane in Indian Wells.
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