Rafael Nadal’s strange ‘ritual’ when playing golf

• Casper Ruud recently shared an interesting anecdote about his golfing experience with Rafael Nadal
• Nadal renowned for his love of golf, recently participated in ‘The Battle of Stars’ golf charity event
• Ruud fondly recalled playing golf with Nadal and playfully teased the 22-time Grand Slam champion about his technique

Casper Ruud recently shared an interesting anecdote about his golfing experience with Rafael Nadal, revealing that Nadal’s well-known pre-serve rituals extend beyond the tennis court.

Nadal, renowned for his love of golf, recently participated in ‘The Battle of Stars’ golf charity event. The event included notable figures like football coach Pep Guardiola and football stars Gabriel Batistuta, Alvaro Morata, and Aritz Aduriz, among others.

The event’s proceeds were dedicated to combating ALS, a degenerative disorder. Ruud has also been vocal about his passion for golf in the past.

He even expressed that his preparation for last year’s Wimbledon Championships would primarily revolve around playing golf.

In his own words, he says that he thinks grass is for golf players and that his preparation for Wimbledon mirrors golf in so many ways.

Nadal feels more at ease on a golf course than the tennis grass courts.

Rafael Nadal with Casper Ruud. Photo/India TV News

“I think grass is for golf players. My preparation for Wimbledon is pretty much just playing golf, you know, before the tournament, because I feel more comfortable on the golf course than the tennis courts on grass for now,” Sportskeeda says.

In anticipation of Wimbledon 2023, Ruud and Taylor Fritz had the opportunity to meet Luke Donald, a British professional golfer and former World No. 1, as part of a promotional event.

The encounter was documented in a video on the official Wimbledon YouTube channel, where the 2023 European Ryder Cup captain offered Fritz and Ruud a tutorial on improving their golf swings.

Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal. Photo/Sky Sports

After receiving guidance on enhancing his swing, Ruud fondly recalled playing golf with Nadal and playfully teased the 22-time Grand Slam champion about his technique.

“I played with Rafa twice, and he shot under par both times. If he watches this, I’m just going to get some playful banter from him because his swing is awful. It looks so bad, but he somehow makes it work,” he said.

In a recent interview, Ruud shed light on Nadal’s rigorous and demanding practice routine. According to Ruud, the practice sessions usually last around 30 to 40 minutes without any breaks or water, making it quite challenging to start.

He further explained that his own approach to training differs from Nadal’s. While Ruud prefers taking water breaks every 15 to 20 minutes, he had to forgo them in order to keep up with Nadal’s relentless training routine.

“I usually take water after 15 or 20 minutes, so it’s about 20 minutes where I would like to have some water. But you don’t really dare to ask him (Nadal) to sit down when he’s controlling the practice and he does whatever he feels he likes or needs to,” he told Top Court.

Nadal currently leads their head-to-head record 2-0, with his most recent victory over Ruud occurring at the 2022 ATP Finals.