by Mark Stevens in Melbourne
The Adveriser
January 23, 2025

THE good judges reckon he could be a top-five player within two years, but 17-year-old Rafael Nadal is no standout at family gatherings.

His uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, is handy enough with a larger round ball to play for Spain at the past three soccer World Cups.

Uncle Miguel was a star for Barcelona and still plays in the Spanish first-division for his home-town club Real Mallorca.

Young Raf played soccer too until the age of 12, but was so dominant in junior tennis the career choice was obvious. Now with another uncle, Toni, at the the coaching helm, Nadal is already inside the top 50 and ready to take on the world.

Last April, Nadal became the first 16-year-old to break into the top 100 in the rankings since Michael Chang in 1988.

"Rafael will be the youngest No. 1 ever," declared fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya last year.

And the powerful left-hander, complete with Nike bandanna, has plenty of time. Lleyton Hewitt reached the summit at 20 years and eight months.

The great news for tournament organisers is it's Hewitt v Nadal in round three tomorrow. Get ready for a prime-time blockbuster.

Nadal, down a break at one set all, managed to haul himself to a grinding 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 win against Frenchman Thierry Ascione yesterday. And it came after a knee scare, with Nadal battling on, heavily bandaged.

But the despite the hype surrounding him, Nadal is not so sure about his chances against Hewitt on his home court. "It's a very hard match . . . almost impossible. It will be difficult because it's here," Nadal said.