Spain's king makes Rafa Nadal a marquis
MADRID, June 19 (Reuters) - Spain's King Felipe VI on Thursday granted tennis great Rafa Nadal the noble title of marquis, recognising his contribution to the nation through sporting prowess, according to a royal household statement.
Nadal, a 22-times Grand Slam champion who retired last year, was among six individuals honoured as part of celebrations marking the monarch's 10th anniversary on the throne.
Other given such titles included pop-rock singer Luz Casal and Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales.
"They are a source of pride for Spain and a permanent reference point for values that should inspire our society," the palace said.
Former world number one Nadal, 39, will hold the title Marquis of Llevant de Mallorca, the island where he was born and lives. The title can be inherited by his descendants.
Nadal, who won the French Open a record 14 times, was commemorated last month at Roland Garros with a permanent footprint on the Centre Court.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
35 minutes ago
- Times
Why this is a golden age for British tennis
W ho better than John McEnroe to provide an objective view of the state of British tennis? Since his Wimbledon debut as an 18-year-old American qualifier in 1977, he has been back for every championships as a player or a pundit. 'I think now no one looks at it like, 'Oh my god, I hope I play a British guy,' ' he says of the mindset of modern players. 'There might be a couple of wild cards that get in now who would be good draws because they're trying to make it. But for the most part, all the British players in the draw now are legit players.' It's not quite time to pin up the Union flag bunting, but there is undoubtedly a sense at the All England Club that this is, dare we say it, something of a golden era for British tennis.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Emma Raducanu declares she's ready to EMBRACE the UK heatwave - with temperatures at Wimbledon soaring to 34 degrees Celsius on Melting Monday
Emma Raducanu insists she's ready to handle the heatwave as Wimbledon braces itself for its hottest-ever opening day. Temperatures are predicted to soar to 34 degrees on Monday, smashing the previous record for the hottest start to the tournament of 29.3C in 2001. 'I'm ready to embrace it,' declared Raducanu, who faces fellow Brit Mingge Xu third on No1 Court on Melting Monday. 'I feel like the heat in the UK is extra hot. Even when the number says a certain level, it feels hotter always. I'm prepared. I'm going to stay hydrated, do all the right things and hopefully I'll be okay.' Forecasters predict the high humidity could make conditions at Wimbledon feel as hot as 37 degrees with orange weather warnings issued for parts of the UK, including London. The hottest day during an entire Wimbledon was on July 1 2015 when thermometers reached 35.7C. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz revealed he will wear special patches that analyse his sweat so he knows how much water he needs to drink to cope with the sweltering conditions. 'I always say the details makes difference,' said Alcaraz, who could become only the fifth men's player to win three successive Wimbledon titles. 'Next week it's going to be pretty hot so I think it's going to be great to know what if I should take more water or whatever.' Wimbledon organisers will provide more water refill stations for spectators around the grounds as part of their extra measures to deal with the sweltering temperatures. Weather alerts will be announced on the big screens while medical teams will be on hand to assist if anyone feels the effects of the heat. Wimbledon's heat rule will also come into force, which allows the players to break from play and leave court during matches. British No 2 Katie Boulter, like Raducanu, is looking forward to soaking up the sun when she faces off against Spaniard Paula Badosa second on Centre Court on Monday. 'I enjoy the heat, so I won't complain' said Boulter. 'Paula's more used to it than me, she's got one up there! I think everyone is a little bit surprised as to how long the heat has been here for. I'm really enjoying it. I do need some more AC in my house but aside from that. I like playing in the heat, when it's hot it's usually a bit quicker.' Former semi-finalist Cameron Norrie, who faces Roberto Bautista Agut on Court 18 on Monday, said: 'I'm going to have to get a lot of match shirts ready! There's going to be a lot of long rallies and playing second match in the hottest part of the day – so they've definitely thrown me out there!'
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
And breathe...Britain's Draper calm before entering Wimbledon pressure cooker
LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - British tennis players come under the spotlight at Wimbledon like nowhere else and the full glare will be trained on world number four Jack Draper as he leads a sizeable home assault at the All England Club starting on Monday. The 23-year-old left-hander's rapid rise up the rankings means he is the highest British seed since two-time winner Andy Murray arrived as defending champion in 2017. Draper's run to the U.S. Open semi-final last year and his title this year at Indian Wells have raised expectations that he is ready to emulate Murray and win the title. The hype is already building up and should he avoid any early banana skins and make a deep run, Draper knows the weight of expectation will grow more heavy on his broad shoulders. Dealing with life in the Wimbledon pressure cooker will be a huge test for a player who has won only two matches in his three previous main draw appearances at the All England Club. But he says employing breathing coach Ann Coxhead has helped him to cope with the anxiety he experienced earlier in his career and which occasionally led to him vomiting on court. "It was important for me in tennis where there's such small margins, such small percentages," Draper told reporters at a sultry and tranquil Wimbledon on Saturday. "The work I've done with her has been invaluable. It's been a real asset to my tennis. I think I'm still a work in progress with it, but definitely my physicality and my general well-being on the court has improved." Draper faces dangerous 38th-ranked Argentine Sebastian Baez in the first round on Tuesday and things will not get much easier after that with former U.S. Open winner and Wimbledon runner-up Marin Cilic a likely second-round opponent. Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic is a potential quarter-final barrier and then it could be world number one Jannik Sinner and two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Sensibly, Draper is not looking too far ahead. "I look at my first round, who I have. I respect every person in the draw. Obviously I've got Baez on Tuesday, and I'm not looking further than that," he said. "I know he's a strong player. He's here off his own merit." Draper and British women's number one Emma Raducanu will lead a 23-strong home contingent in the singles draws, including eight wild cards, the most since 1984. While Draper is happy to talk up his chances, Raducanu, who stunned the tennis world by winning the U.S. Open as a teenaged qualifier in 2021, says she has lower expectations. "Truthfully I don't expect much from myself this year," she told reporters. "I know I've just been dealing with certain things. I just want to go out there and embrace the moment. I want to embrace the occasion." She will start on Monday against compatriot Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wild cards in the women's draw. "I think it's a very dangerous match, very difficult. I think Mimi is a really, really good player," Raducanu said. "For her it's one where there's nothing to lose. I remember when I had my first Wimbledon here and I was 18. It's a great feeling. You just feel, like, completely fearless."
