Is Rafael Nadal Planning to Abandon His Signature Sleeveless Style Again?
Rafael Nadal abandoned his autograph sleeveless look in 2009, going on to put on a more traditional on-court apparel for the next decade.
But he reverted to the singlet at the 2018 Australian Open, and has persisted with it ever since; the Spaniard has worn sleeveless shirts in each of his last three Australian Opens.
During his on-court talk with McEnroe at the 2018 Australian Open, Rafa explained why he is back to wear sleeveless shirts. “I have small issues when I’m playing in very hot conditions when I hit my forehand, so I like to play without the sleeves. It makes me feel younger again”, said Nadal.
Nadal sported the widely imitated grey singlet at the Australian Open two years ago, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Rafa had a better run the year after that, reaching the final of the 2019 Australian Open when he was seen wearing an orange sleeveless top.
Nadal wore a sleeveless shirt at the 2020 Australian Open as well, taking to the court in a bright pink singlet.
But for the 2021 Australian Open he seems poised to go back to more conventional attire, which may not be to the liking of some of his fans.
The Rafael Nadal Outfit For Australian Open 2021 Unveiled
When he first appeared onto the professional tennis scene, Nadal was as well known for his chiselled arms as he was for his forehand.
In 2009, the same year as his last Australian Open win, Nadal made a fashion choice with Nike, ditching his characteristic singlets in favour of a more mature, Federer-esque look.
Over the years Rafael Nadal as a brand has also been famous for caps with the bull horns.Fashion translates to big money for tennis brands, and high profile players such as Federer, Nadal and Murray play pivotal roles in the industry, and the resulting dollars their sponsors stand to make in retail sales.
Creating a signature style is the key for players and their own brands.
Fans clamour to grab their favourite players’ look and emulate their signature styles & brands.
Nike is the leading brand in tennis and has been a long time beneficiary of Nadal’s mass fan following, forking out double digit millions of Dollars to sponsor him year after year.
Source: sportskeeda, menshealth, tennisworldusa
Hashtags: #Nadal #RafaOutfit #AustralianOpen
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