As a continuation to the bestselling book, The Master, about Roger Federer, here is The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and his Kingdom of Clay.
I was fortunate enough to talk to author Christopher Clarey about The Warrior on the Tennisnerd podcast. The first time I got to sit down with Clarey was about two years ago for The Master. Like last time, it was a treat to talk to him about the book, about Rafa and about the French Open, which Clarey has covered for 30 years.
You can get The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and the Kingdom of Clay on Amazon as a hard cover, Kindle or audio book. It will also be translated into many languages.
Listen to the podcast with author Christopher Clarey below, on Spotify or on YouTube.
About The Warrior
In The Warrior, Christopher Clarey illuminates the skill and determination it took to accomplish Rafael Nadal’s most mind-blowing achievement: 14 French Open titles. Nadal has won big on tennis’s many surfaces en route to becoming one of the greatest players of all time: securing two Wimbledon titles on grass and four U.S. Open titles on cushioned acrylic hardcourts. But clay, the slowest and grittiest of the game’s playgrounds, is where it all comes together best for his tactical skills, whipping topspin forehand and gladiatorial mindset. Clay is to Rafael Nadal what water is to Michael Phelps, which helps explain one of the most impressive individual sports achievements of the 21st century.
Clarey draws on interviews over many years with Nadal and his team and with rivals like Roger Federer. Not just a book about tennis, The Warrior draws much wider lessons from Nadal’s approach to competition.
The Warrior Review
I loved this book. Sure, it helps that I am big Rafa fan, but I really felt the book brought me back to the “good old days” of tennis. I’m not saying tennis is in a bad spot these days, but the days where Roger and Rafa battled for the slams were magical and it is easy to forget how magical they were. Thanks to Clarey’s excellent writing and proximity to team Rafa and the French Open for many years, you travel right back to the moments where the King of Clay ruled and won a record-breaking 14 Roland Garros titles.
You also get a deeper understanding of Rafa’s background, the role that Toni and the team around him played in Rafa’s career. I have followed tennis closely for a long time and met both Rafa and Toni a few times, but I still learned many things by reading The Warrior. Most importantly, I enjoyed it.
The Warrior is not only about Rafa’s triumphant career. It also deals with the history of his Kingdom, the French Open. The history of the tournament, why the courts are named the way they are, the meticilous craftmanship behind those perfect clay courts.
Overall, an excellent read. Deeply recommended for any tennis fan.
