So the question was What moment in Rafael Nadal’s career do you remember most vividly and why?
The answer had to be original, passionate and around the 600 word mark.
To decide who won I picked the best articles on each moment. Obviously there were a lot of people picking Wimbledon 2008 and so I’ve picked only one about Wimbledon (sorry everyone). Thank you all so much for participating and I hope that everyone else heads out to grab a copy of RAFA which is released today (23 August)!
And the winners are……
Stan – Australia
If I have to pick just one moment in Nadal’s career it’s the moment where he wrapped his arm around a weeping Federer after he accepted his trophy at the 2009 Australian Open.
Nadal had been unbelievable. How he recovered from the greatest match I’ve ever seen (v Verdasco in the semis) to even be able to walk I’ll never know. How 
he then played five sets I’ll never know but what made him a cut above the rest in my opinion was that moment of compassion.
Some people gloat in victory, some crumble in defeat but Rafa took what was his moment and helped Federer through a difficult moment. Federer was sobbing, unable to get through a speech and it was the new Australian Open champ, who had been given very little chance to recover in time, let alone win, who gently rested his arm on Feds heaving shoudlers and showed a compassion, strength of character and kindness that is rarely seen in elite sport. In fact I don’t remember a display like it at the elite level before.
Nadal showed he’s a top bloke and for that we Aussies will always back him.
Katherine – Philippines
Roger, similarly, approached that epic match in the final without losing a set. Unlike their previous two Wimbledon finals, though, Federer was not the prohibitive favorite, and many analysts picked Nadal to win. And at that time, they played the longest final in Wimbledon history, and because of rain delays, Nadal won the fifth set 9–7 in near-darkness.Aside from that, this being Rafa’s first win in Wimbledon, I just really found it endearing how he ran up to his box to hug his family, uncle Toni and all his staff. He was too elated. And what better way to bask in greatness of winning this title than sharing it to the world with the people he loves.
Congratulations and thank you everyone for your submissions!
Please note the books will be posted from Australia and may take a little bit of time to arrive but they’re on the way.
