Mr. Humble strikes again! Rafael Nadal was recently voted the “World’s Fittest Man” by Men’s Fitness magazine, and Rafa says he doesn’t deserve it:
“If you look at many other players they are probably fitter than me. The difference probably is that I was playing sleeveless.”
Gentleman and ladies of the jury, I leave it up to you to decide:
Roger Federer does his best Rafa. What? Twiggy forearms are hot.
Let’s be honest, Andy Murray will never be tan enough for Men’s Fitness.
Don’t be fooled: Novak Djokovic is still closer to the “retirement” slam than the career slam. (His new fitness coach may help.)
*Record scratching sound* Uh. . .yeah. Game over.
But Rafa wasn’t all modesty – when asked about his specialties in the kitchen, he boasts like Muhammad Ali:
“Pasta with shrimp and mushrooms. I’m also good at making cakes.“
BUSTED! So you think you’re “good” at baking, huh? Braggart.
I’ve included this video of Nadal’s training regimen, so you, too, can be good at making cakes. And jumping rope and doing the Charleston. That was so ME in second grade!
Quick, Uncle Toni! Get your nephew an infomercial.
Click here to check out the full interview in Men’s Fitness.
Federer photo via rogerfederer.com
(Video via Down the Line)
Djokovic photo via Flickr.
Andy Murray photo via Daily Mail
Rafa photo PAUL CROCK/AFP/Getty Images via Daylife.
Thumbnail: “Whos abs are they, anyway?” Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images
Tags: ATP, Djokovic, Federer, Men's Fitness, Murray, Nadal, tennis, Tennis Hunks
Loading ...
HAHA…awesome..love the “twiggy forearms” cuz they totally are!
Nadal looks like Carrot Top.
OMG! o_O Rafa is a body builder! He must be training really-really hard!! But it’s rational if we consider that he’s the guy who ‘punishes’ himself by running 30′ right after a match he won, because he wasn’t good enough.
Yeah, I wonder what he did after losing to Fed? I’m guessing he goes and runs up the nearest mountain – pulling a grand piano behind him.
“I’m also good at making cakes.”
Ahahaha! How does he manage to stay so adorable? Also, I would love to eat a cake made by Rafa. It’s like the fulfilment of several different types of fantasy.
Roger and Rafa should have a cake off. Roger’s would be all smooth and rich and chocolatey, finished with a wedge of some exotic fruit and a meticulously traced “RF”, whereas Rafa’s would just be all smarties! Whipped cream! Multicoloured sprinkles! Probably whack a few cookies in there, too. And you just know there’d be messy pink icing spelling out, “Rogelio number one!” surrounded by a big heart made of cherries.
Or, y’know. Whatever.
Also, twiggy forearms = <3 (Rafa’s body scares me D:)
LOL
I think you’re spot on. I’d like to add that Roger’s cake wouldn’t be made of any simple chocolate, but of some *very* expensive dark (70%, maybe?) one. And don’t forget gold powder over the monogram. It would be so like Roger to offer a golden cake. With cream on the side (never mixed). And with two little mint leaves for decoration over the cream, because details matter. He’d hand his guests even slices, never too big nor too small.
Rafa would try to give each guest as much cake as the guest can eat, and would beam everytime his deliciously rich and fun recipe is praised. And even though he’d win the tasting contest by a landslide, he’d politely say that he still has to work hard to reach Roger’s level as a cake baker.
…
I love you.
oh shit! You totally win for that cake scenario. I will not stop smiling all day.
OH MY GOD! That cake is SO having an RF logo in gold leaf. Awesome.
And Eve, LOL at the big heart on Rafa’s cake. Maybe it would just be a heart shaped cake – or one of the photo cakes with a big picture of Roger’s face. Or of the two of them hugging.
AW! So cute! Rafa, bake me a cake.
gawd…how did he get a muscular body like that?and he is only 22 yrs old for christ sake!in all fairness, it seems real and naturally honed than steroid injected type.Twiggy forearms are too sexy…just ask mirka….and the rest of the featured guys?ha!they are damn pathetic looking and seriously made my boring day.i cant stop laughing..lol!
For pete’s sake, Nadal. Enough with this humility Crap!Its annoying!!!!
Holy crap! Nadal is huge. Maybe a few more chocolate croissants can soften him up.
I’m sure his body turns chocolate croissants to muscle before the things are even fully digested.
And all that eating chocolate cookies!
Oh Rafa, you’re too good to be true.
Ha! Hi AdM. You are so right. He’s basically perfect. . .next he’s going to say the only thing he’s really, really good at is rescuing kittens from trees (another idea, a “Rafa & Kitten” daily calendar.)
As a food writer, I obs must get with Rafa’s peeps and talk about cake and shrimp. What a Lad!
And deep in my heart, I suspect Rog and Mirka don’t cook — heck, why should they? He’s a King, and she’s a consort. I just love that Nadal bakes: it’s what might make him irresistible to cuties, grannies, tennis fanatics and casual male guys with a barbie.
I have heard that Mirka cooks pasta at Wimbeldon. And salads. But Roger didn’t mention her cooking in the favorite foods video. He did like his mom’s food though!
I think it is rather hard to cook on the road, especially with 5 star hotel amenities.
Funny enough, I remember hearing that Mirka cooks at Wimbledon, like Rafa. I think it’s because everyone stays in rental homes during the event, instead of hotels. So all the tennis players and entourages cook for the “fortnight” There’s a food article in there somewhere.
i guess you are jealous of nadal’s success. all these tennis players are good people,only the fans make them look bad. and for nadal, he is a good kid. get a life.
haha love the cake ideas!! spot on
Though has anyone noticed that Rafa seems to be alot less bulked up that he was before? He’s still a bit bigger but I don’t think to the extent he was. Maybe he trimmed down the muscle bulk to be more effective on grass and hard courts?
Hi Eimear! Yes! I think you are right. I saw him at Indian Wells and he looked really lean. . .over the years you can also see it in his face. Wondering if it’s on purpose or just a function of growing older. . .although I don’t think he’s really grown taller. I wish Men’s Fitness had asked him that question (you should have been doing the interview!)
He was more bulked up before? Yikes! I must admit, my tastes run more to twiggy. And dark chocolate cakes with cream on the side, yum….
I thought Rafa was looking leaner, too, these days. Not sure what’s up with that. But he has never been THAT big, anyway. I think he is right – a lot of these pic’s are taken after he has hit about 500-1000 balls at practice. When he is seen in other ops, he seems normal sized to me, or pefect sized, I mean.
Hi Marvazz!
True, but on the other hand, Roger could hit a million balls and never look like that photo of Rafa. So Rafa’s definitely got something extra. I have seen photos of Murray and Djokovic looking pretty ripped. And Gael Monfils is scary in terms of his muscle to fat ratio. (99% – 1%)
Hi there
Hope you’re enjoying RG! At what ungodly hur do you need to get up to watch it? I feel for you
Anyway, I think that Rafa might have been referring to the Incredibly Hunky Spansih Armada when he was thinking of fit players!! Rafa for me is always head and shoulders abouve anyone, but let’s face it, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco can very well hold their own!
What do they feed them when they’re little in Spain?! They all seem to turn out handsome and talented *sigh*
Laura
PS I’ve been dreaming of a kitty&Rafa calendar all day now!
Roger and Rafa are both very fit, thank you
he is strong
Really, I don't understand what people see in Nadal. He looks like an average Spaniard to me, plain. He's not good-looking or sexy. Of course he has a great body but all tennis players do. I'm Spanish and I root for him but I don't find him attractive at all, I prefer Nole and Roger, they are more handsome.