Winning Smile: Rafa Nadal on his 80 Sunreef Power (Part 2)

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Nadal chose the layout and décor of the interior, which features beige, cream and coffee colours

Continued from Part 1. With his interest piqued, Nadal stayed in touch with Edwin Nogala, a Sunreef Sales Representative who visited him in Mallorca. After confirming the order, it was then time to make the four-cabin Great White his own.

Nadal had a lot of input, selecting the layout, special features and decor on a yacht that offers 360sqm (3,875sqft) of living area. Having seen an 80 Sunreef Power for the first time when he visited the model’s premiere at Cannes last September, the Spaniard was a happy man upon receiving his own this year.

“The boat is completely personalised. I’ve chosen all the things I want to have on board. I have my jetski inside and my tender, too. I chose all of the furnishings and even have a TV on the flybridge,” says Nadal, who has TVs in plenty of other places, too.

The jetski is kept in the model’s signature garage, which is underneath the cockpit and accessed by raising the sofa platform. The cradle garage can be slowly lowered for the jetski to enter the water – and off you go. The garage has a refuelling station and storage for other water toys, while the tender is carried on a wide hydraulic swim platform.

The saloon features enormous sofas on both sides and a forward dining area, either side of back-to-back 77-inch TVs

The covered cockpit provides a huge alfresco dining and lounging area, and is fitted with a weatherproof TV, while there are two 77-inch screens installed back-to-back in the enormous, light-filled saloon. Nadal clearly enjoys his telly.

There are oversized L-shaped sofas on both sides of the saloon, creating enormous room in the middle, while forward of the TVs is a dining table for eight and an additional lounging area to port, by the foredeck door.

Great White’s accommodation includes a master suite and three guest cabins

Nadal’s personal choices also include a fold-out balcony for his master suite, which is in the starboard hull and includes a flip-down ceiling TV above the double bed, a sofa and walk-in dressing room.

There’s also one ensuite guest cabin and the crew quarters in the starboard hull, while the port side features two guest cabins and the galley.

“We’ve put a lot of love into the project, choosing everything,” Nadal says. “I’m super happy with the boat. It’s very special for me, my family and friends.”

Nadal chose a fold-down balcony for his master suite, which is to starboard

GRAND AMBITIONS FOR GREAT WHITE

The coronavirus means Nadal has had more chance to use his yacht than at any other time during his tennis career. For almost two decades, his global touring has restricted his time on the water, although when he’s able to get home, he routinely takes his boat out and often stays overnight by a beach.

In addition, he typically tries to carve out 10 days in the summer for a boating holiday with family or friends. However, Nadal never completely switches off from his training regime, using the sea water and time aboard to help with rest and recuperation from his punishing workload.

“During a tennis season, I don’t have much time for boating, but I always try to find some. When I come home, I like to take the boat out, winter or summer,” he says.

The King of Clay’s first catamaran is his biggest yacht so far, measuring 80ft in length and almost 38ft across

“When I spend, say, a week on a yacht, I always take my things and do my daily workout to protect my shoulders and knees. I try to swim a lot and I enjoy free diving very much. It’s not good for a professional sportsman to stop exercising completely, so I stay active.”

Despite being forced into some extensive breaks from the sport due to injuries, Nadal is still one of the world’s top players and was still World No. 2 at time of this year’s US Open in September, which he skipped, having won the title for the fourth time last year along with his 12th French Open.

In fact, from when he secured his first Grand Slam title at the 2005 French Open, Nadal along with Roger Federer and current No. 1 Novak Djokovic have won 52 of the last 60 Grand Slam titles and continue to dominate the game.

However, at 34, Nadal can envision the day when he will have to step away from the tour and the wide, open seas will be waiting for him.

Nadal is keen to explore more of the Mediterranean and return to the Caribbean, where the Exuma Islands in the Bahamas are among his favourite destinations

Nadal is keen to explore more of the Mediterranean and return to the Caribbean, where the Exuma Islands in the Bahamas are among his favourite destinations
“I’m super excited about spending a lot of time on the boat and I’d love to visit the whole Mediterranean like Croatia, Greece, Italy, as well as the Caribbean,” says Nadal, who cruised to Sardinia on his previous yacht.

“I’ve chartered catamarans a couple of times in the Bahamas, in the Exuma Islands, and I loved it. The Exumas are one of my favourite places, so I try to go back there when I can, and I’d love to go with Great White. It would be amazing to visit all these remarkable places.

“Our planet is an amazing, beautiful place. There are plenty of spots I’d like to visit, and I hope I have the chance to go to some undiscovered destinations in the future. Now, I’m still playing tennis and don’t have much time, but I hope I’ll have time to go on these adventures when I’m retired.”