Latest Rafa Nadal Academy graduate reveals how tennis great voice notes after breaking into top 100
A rising Spanish star Martin Landaluce revealed how Rafa Nadal helps him after the 20-year-old broke into the top 100 for the first time.
The mantle left by Nadal has been picked up by a growing number of young Spanish talents and while Carlos Alcaraz battles for the sport’s biggest prizes, behind him there is another wave of incoming talents such as Rafael Jodar and Landaluce.
The latter, who turned 20 in January, is a graduate of the Rafa Nadal Academy and after reaching the quarter-finals at the Miami Open, he broke into the top 100 players for the first time.
“It’s very special to see myself there,” he told the ATP. “I think it’s something we’ve all wanted to achieve since we were young. I’ve never set a specific ranking goal, but now that I’m in this position, I believe I can go further, and that’s what I intend to do.”
Key to the Spaniard’s rise has been Nadal with Landaluce joining the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s academy in his childhood. Landaluce revealed how Nadal has been helping his game.
“If he’s watching you and sees something that you can improve, he’s going to tell you,” Landaluce told the Independent going on to reveal that Nadal shared his knowledge in improving footwork and when the 20-year-old put it into action in Miami, he received a voice note from Nadal encouraging him.
“He told me to keep going, that this is only the beginning, like my dad says.”
Next on Landaluce’s agenda is the Madrid Open, a hometown tournament for the player and he said he was looking forward to enjoying the home comforts.
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“I’m really thrilled to play in Madrid. I’m sleeping at home, and it’s a very special week here with my people. I hope it’s a cool tournament, where I can feel significant and strong on the court and have good matches,” he said. “In this tournament, I need to keep doing things as I have been, trying to impose that style, with a strong identity. If I do this, the level will follow, and the first match will be good. Hopefully, there will be more than one.”
As for where he can improve, Landaluce suggested his physicality left him with a “big margin” to the others.
“I know I have to keep working,” he said. “With my style, which is designed to cause a lot of damage, it’s important to be able to attack consistently for many rallies,” Landaluce said.
“I need to try to be more solid, move better… Physically, I have a big margin for improvement to do things well and be ready for tough matches. I have to keep working with the same joy and humility as ever.”
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