Serving up life lessons: Rafael Nadal's tennis career inspired me to achieve my dreams

This First Person article is the experience of Vaidehee Lanke, a medical student living in Saskatoon. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see  the FAQ .

The news hit me hard. Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest tennis players of all time and my personal favourite, announced his retirement last week.

I felt a flurry of emotions. Admiration at his outstanding 23-year career. Deep sadness that I would never see him play again. Powerful gratitude for what he has given the sport — and me.

Growing up, I was never part of the sports world. In fact, it was quite the opposite — gym class was an endless dance in awkwardness. That all changed when I stumbled upon tennis. Deep into university finals in the spring of 2021, in an attempt to find another way to procrastinate, I came across old videos from the US Open videos. 

Suddenly, I was watching the highlights of match after match. With each game and post-match interview, I found myself falling in love with the sheer athleticism of the game, the statistics constantly at play, the psychology behind each move and the story of the players. I spent that summer learning the rules of tennis, with terms like baseline, slice, ace, rally and smash becoming part of my vocabulary.By the time the 2021 US Open rolled around, I was a fully dedicated tennis fan. 

And while I learned about all the greats, Spain's Nadal became my favourite. It wasn't just his title as king of the clay court or his powerful signature forehand that won my devotion, but rather his humility and spirit of never giving up. 

While my love of tennis has yet to materialize into an ability to play the game, Nadal's gifts have been an inspiration for me in my personal life. 

I still remember