"I’m a little bit strange in all of that": Rafael Nadal's strange quirk in playing with left hand despite being right handed

Rafael Nadal spoke about the attention his arms have received throughout his career and acknowledged that he plays with his left arm despite being right-handed, a recommendation from his uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal. The 22-times Grand Slam champion is preparing to make his comeback at the Brisbane Open, almost a year after his hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open.

Currently ranked world No. 672, Nadal will be participating in the Oceanian 250-category tournament for the second time. The event, taking place from December 31, 2023, to January 7, 2024, will feature the presence of young Scandinavian players, including the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (14th), Americans Ben Shelton (17th) and Sebastian Korda (24th), Frenchman Ugo Humbert (20th), Argentine Sebastián Báez (28th), and Briton Andy Murray (42nd), among others.

In an interview upon his arrival in Australia with Men’s Fitness, Nadal addressed questions about his powerful left arm that has been a standout feature throughout his career: “The difference probably is that I was playing sleeveless. Now that I carry shirts with sleeves, it doesn’t look that different,” he said. “And also my left arm is much more developed than my right arm. This is because I play lefty, and that’s sort of my gym, the tennis court. That’s where I have fun,” the former world No. 1 added.

The 37-year-old player also shared his enjoyment of golf, using it as an example of his ambidextrous abilities: “For me, it’s (the stroke in golf) like a backhand,” Nadal said.

“I started playing golf when I was at the age of 17 or 18, and naturally I started playing with my right hand,” Nadal added. “I’m a little bit strange in all of that. I eat and play basketball with the right, I play tennis and football with the left. It’s a bit strange,” 14-times French Open champion concluded.