‘Real Sportsman’: When an Australian Open Chauffeur Hailed Rafael Nadal

Published 02/01/2021, 8:30 AM EST

The Australian Open is right around the corner and top seeds like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would be raring to go out and take a shot at winning the men’s singles title. It is indeed exciting to witness a Grand Slam taking place amid a global pandemic, and kudos to the organizers for making it a possibility.

Of course, Tennis Australia deserves the credit for pulling together a massive event to treat tennis fans during challenging times. There are so many departments that would be on their toes during the Grand Slam, and an often underappreciated lot is the car drivers who ferry the athletes around during the tournament.

Long-time Australian Open car driver opens up about Rafael Nadal

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As per CarAdvice.com, the Australian Open employs hundreds of drivers every year to provide the athletes a hassle-free commute from their hotels to the arena. More than 100 cars will be running with a special insignia on their bodies, and Iain Moffat is one of the guys behind the wheel.

Moffat has been working with the Australian Open for more than ten years, and his most consistent companion has been Rafael Nadal. Moffat revealed that he’s been paired with Nadal for quite a few years now and that he enjoys the company of the Spaniard.

When asked if Rafael Nadal is a down-to-earth personality, Moffat said this:

“Absolutely. He’s just a delightful guy, very humble, very gracious, and very easy to get on with. A perfect example of what I consider to be the real sportsman who cuts across everything.”

This is just another wonderful compliment that the Spaniard has received. Nadal always carries a calm approach to his duties when he’s off-the-court, and Moffat’s praise is a testament to how he keeps everything balanced.

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Nadal is wary of the upcoming ATP Cup challenge

Rafa Nadal is spearheading Team Spain at ATP Cup 2021, and alongside them in Group B are Greece and Australia. These two teams have the capacity to pose a tough challenge to Spain, who are favorites in their group.

Rafael Nadal is quite confident about his team’s chances of excelling at the ATP Cup. The 34-year-old is reliant on his teammates Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta, and one can expect Spain to reach the semi-finals, considering the amount of quality they have on their team.

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.

‘Real Sportsman’: When an Australian Open Chauffeur Hailed Rafael Nadal

Long-time Australian Open car driver opens up about Rafael Nadal

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Nadal is wary of the upcoming ATP Cup challenge