Babolat and Rafael Nadal, a story that has lasted for more than 20 years

INTERVIEW

Rafael Nadal is a faithful man.

To his island of birth, Mallorca, to his clan who have followed him for years, but also to his Babolat snowshoes.

Since his childhood, "Rafa" has always played with the equipment of the French brand, based in Lyon.

Two days before the start of Roland-Garros, the fetish tournament of the "Manacor bull", Eric Babolat, the CEO of the company of the same name, told Friday on Europe 1 this collaboration which has lasted for more than 20 years.

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Spotted by a commercial of the brand when he was only 10 years old

Rafael Nadal was spotted very early by Babolat on his island of Mallorca, when he was still only a young tennis hopeful aged around ten.

"There was no need to take out the checkbook at the start. Babolat's job is to be close to the clubs and players, where they are. Our Spanish sales representative who looked after the region from Mallorca very quickly saw that this young player, as we have plenty, had potential, ”said Eric Babolat.

"He said to himself that we had to take him under contract, as we do in many clubs, providing him with every other racket for free. Very quickly, he turned out to be an international player. . "

The brand was not mistaken: with 19 Grand Slam titles, including 12 Roland Garros (a record), "Rafa" is quite simply one of the best tennis players in history.

"We are part of the family"

At 34 years old, Rafael Nadal continues to be faithful to Babolat, with which he collaborates closely for the development of new rackets.

"We are at his side and with his team, that is to say him and his trainer, Carlos Moya, who obtained the first victory at Roland Garros with a Babolat racket in 1998. Nadal has the spirit of team, he knows it's a collective. He gives us feedback on what he has, on what is wrong, on what he wants to improve, "said Eric Babolat.

But what are the requirements of the current world No. 2?

"Nadal has only had one leitmotif since he started playing, it's the

(a ball effect) and how to get more with his strings, with his rackets. We offer him solutions that we test with him a little bit all year round, especially in November-December to adjust the settings of his equipment for the following season, "detailed the boss of Babolat.

"He's been playing with Babolat since he was 10, we're part of the family."