Rafael Nadal knows a thing or two about winning in tennis, and he gave his definition of what talent in sports means, even though he thinks it's tough to define.
Talent is a word that gets used every day by millions of people around the world. It's supposed to be an innate ability that allows an individual to perform a specific action more efficiently or effortlessly than others.
That's one way to define it, but in reality, there are many different ways to express it, and Nadal fully understands that. His definition of the word is an interesting take where he believes that the one with the most talent finds a way to win.
It's a good practical way of looking at things because those that usually win are the ones that do things better than others.
"Talent is something that I think people confuse a little bit. For me, it's not playing pretty or hitting the ball very hard. Some have the talent to hit hard, others to not miss any ball, some to make a great cut and others to move very well."
"But in tennis, as in all sports, the ultimate goal is to win. Therefore, for me, the summary is clear: the one who wins is the one with the most talent."
This is one of the principles taught at his tennis academy, where teachers try to identify what a player does well and build upon that.
"At the Academy, we try to promote the qualities of each player to enhance their talents so that they can meet their goals. If I hadn't had people guiding me on the right path, maybe I wouldn't have had that spirit of perseverance and improvement."
"Despite the adversities, I have always had a good attitude and a positive spirit, and that is something that we try to pass on to the young people. Because there will always be difficult moments, but the important thing is to accept them, work hard and look forward with optimism."
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