Nobody knew, at the beginning of 2007, what this year would have in store for both Rafa and his armada of fans. But 12 months, 85 matches, 6 titles, and 77,573 air miles (enough to take you around the world more than three times!) later I believe everyone agrees that it has been another great season with unforgettable moments and plenty of things to talk about during the agonizing weeks before the next season starts.
Of course there was the tennis! Who does not remember the sigh of relief that rippled across the world when Rafa ended his title drought in Indian Wells, the gloating smile on the faces of all Rafa fans when he denied Roger (yet again) the victory at the French Open, or the painful agony we all suffered during the Wimbledon final? However, for all the fist-pumping, pirata-tugging, arm-toweling, and vamosing, there is more to Rafa than tennis, and I think it is worth recalling what makes him the person we all love and admire (besides the biceps of course ;-)). So here is how Rafa spent his rare free time in 2007:

Scattered across the tightly scheduled calendar year were several exhibition events, all of which had one purpose: To provide more Rafa-time for us VamosBrigaders, who hovered in front of our computers in hopes of catching a glimpse of him on an incomprehensible Chinese livestream with delayed audio. Whether it was Turbo Tennis in Zaragoza or the Rafa- Carlos Moya match in London on grass, fans everywhere agreed that TV coverage for these events was by far not reaching our high standards.
A delightfully different experience was the much-publicized Battle of the Surfaces that took place in Mallorca during the clay season. Rafa hosted Roger Federer as his "guest", even taking him out on his boat one afternoon, and the two players played an interesting match on a hybrid grass/clay court (remember the never-ending shoe changes?). The surface was not able to hold up to the expectations, but I’m sure those responsible at IMG are still rubbing their hands over this incredible PR success. For us fans, the only thing that mattered was that Rafa won :-)

Rafa’s generosity and commitment to using his name to help others continued to be on display in 2007. Whether he was gracing the red carpet at "Lebanon’s Friends Gala" in Monaco or the "Laureus Sport for Good" event in Stuttgart, or cooking up a storm at the "Taste of Tennis" in New York, Rafa was always present when he had a chance to help those less fortunate. I have to admit thought that I was often more excited about seeing him dressed in a sharp-looking suit than I was about the cause he was supporting (shame on me, I know!).
It also seemed that Rafa was doing a bit of spring cleaning in his room because he gave artifacts and personal items for auctions left and right. Anything from shoes, racquets, shirts, and one of his childhood toys found their way into the hands of lucky donors around the world, and the VamosBrigaders were rubbing their astonished eyes when he handed over his Roland Garros trophy in exchange for a Shakira memorabilia for "Cadena de Favores".
Athletic as always, Rafa just recently stepped up to the penalty line against Iker Casillas, Real Madrid’s goal keeper, in support of the Spanish Red Cross’s initiative for malaria prevention. I’m sure given his admiration for Spain’s top football team, this particular charity was much less of a sacrifice than any of the others ;-).

Sadly, 2007 was not all good news when it came to our favorite sportsman. As in previous years Rafa had his share of injuries and scares, most of which had to do with his very own Achilles heel- the legs! A thigh strain that forced him to drop out of the Sydney tournament early in the year was only the beginning of the laundry list of injuries that Rafa accumulated over the last 12 months. The draining five set match he played against Andy Murray turned out to be a right pain in the "famous ass", as Rafa himself proclaimed, and kept him out of competition for several weeks.
The league of fans visiting the Rome tournament suffered a short scare when it was announced that Rafa had been taken to the hospital for a check-up after he had felt dizzy and nauseous for inexplicable reasons. Together with the dehydration- induced cramping he suffered in Cincinnati (a match that I personally would like to erase from memory!), this would conclude Rafa’s 2007 Injury Report- if it wasn’t for the darn knees! Nothing further on the issue will be discussed because I’m sure none of us want to be reminded of the look on his face when the trainer came out during the Wimbledon final, or the image of him struggling against David Ferrer at the US Open. On to happier memories…

As if spending half his life on a tennis court wasn’t enough, Rafa (like most guys) likes to enjoy his sports from a more passive perspective as well. In 2007 he broadened his football-narrowed horizon and explored other spectator sports such as basketball and cricket (though the ball theme remains!) and even tried his hand on some of them himself. His enthusiastic support for the Spanish National Basketball team is documented in pictures and he even made room in his hectic tournament schedule to see a couple NBA games in Miami.
Still, Rafa wouldn’t be Rafa if he didn’t show his face at a few Real Madrid matches, and the images of him waving the flag, whistling, and singing excitedly into the phone sent many VamosBrigaders into fits of drooling (I’m not denying anything here :-) ).
During tournaments Rafa continued to enjoy multiple rounds of golf, especially in Indian Wells. His skills must have improved quite a bit because despite his insistence that he wasn’t any good he played a respectable round at the ProAm Golf Classics in Mallorca. His partner was no other than Spain’s best Sergio Garcia, who complimented Rafa on his golf hands and invited him to team up again at an upcoming event. Well done, Rafa!

Rafa is growing up - and his off-court activities are proof of it. Before you are wondering, that was NOT intended to spark any controversial thoughts, although it may be mentioned that Rafa did vacation with Xisca (and sans parents ;-) ) earlier this year. No, I was referring to the fact that he and Roger took on leading roles in the player’s opposition to the announced ATP calendar changes. He was also more outspoken on contentious issues such as doping and match fixing, and wasn’t afraid to go on radio or TV to set the record straight on false information regarding his injuries.
Rafa’s increasing maturity is also reflected in his sponsor contracts and commercials- no more catching cookies with his teeth or silly dancing with a can of Cola Cao. Increasingly he appeared at sponsor events in sophisticated suits or stylish casual outfits rather than training pants and tennis shoes, and his latest sign-on is one of Spain’s biggest financial institutions Banesto, the public announcement of which was celebrated with a short tennis exhibition where Rafa showed that he can look as elegant as can be and still strike a good forehand.
Besides sponsor obligations, Rafa was also busy collecting numerous awards throughout the year, such as the Jugador 10 award in Barcelona and the Gold Medal of Madrid, which he was awarded during the Madrid Masters. It was great to see his dedication to his sport and to Madrid being recognized!
Another highlight of the year was the publication of Rafa’s biography "Rafael Nadal: Crónica de un fenómeno". Not many people can boast a similar accomplishment at such a young age, but all of his fans would agree that Rafa deserves the honor. As for me, my copy is proudly displayed on my bookshelf and even though I can’t read Spanish (yet), the pictures alone make for good entertainment (Rafa’s baby bum, anyone?).

Despite the ups and downs of his health, the increasing pressure of maintaining his position in the rankings, and the typical maturity that comes from becoming a true grown-up, Rafa continued to be his normal, silly, happy, simple, and sometimes even childish self. He enjoyed trips to a water park in Dubai, vacationed with his family in Egypt, played soccer on the beach with his friends, and hung out in the same bars he used to frequent in previous years. And that’s what makes him so loveable.
We as fans (I’m generously projecting my personal opinion onto all VamosBrigaders at this point) love the fact that Rafa can be on national TV with a big bucket of ice-cream on his knees (with a big grin on his face!) and not think anything of it. We adore his sense of humor and that he can laugh about himself when he doesn’t understand questions during press conferences. We giggle at the fact that he wears his favorite brown shirt on all occasions (well, it does look rather delicious on him) and that he was practicing his baking skills during Wimbledon- how successful we don’t know.
2007 was another great year in terms of his tennis career, but it was also another year where we could get to know him a little better- and like him all the more. The epitome of Rafa’s character (as I see it) came out in a little one-minute TV appearance on French TV that had not only the VamosBrigade but messageboards across the world laughing along with him (and I bet the odd person here or there was trying to do the "Rafa dance"- admit it!).

Here is to a successful, injury-free, happiness-filled 2008!
VAMOS RAFA!