Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has received the Camino Real Award. This week, the King of Spain Felipe VI handed Nadal the Camino Real Award for this year. The award is traditionally awarded to those who represent Spain in a positive image in the United States.
“The Award reflects the spirit of recognizing a universal Spaniard who has built bridges of understanding between Spain and the United States of America”. (Julio Cañero, Director of the Instituto Franklin-UAH between 2013 and 2019),” per the Instituto Franklin website.
Nadal on winning the Camino Real Award
“Being the year in which I have won the first two Grand Slams, signing one of the best starts of my career, it is being a very complicated year, beyond the injuries, which have been chasing me throughout my career, but also because of the personal and family news, which at this time is very good news.
So receiving recognition like today’s is a greater happiness,” Nadal said, according to Europa Press. After spending some time in the United States, Nadal returned to Spain to be with his pregnant wife. While Nadal was in the United States for the Cincinnati Masters and US Open, his wife Mery Perello was reportedly admitted to hospital.
“I need to fix things, life, then I don’t know when I’m going to come back,” Nadal said after his US Open exit. “I going to try to be ready mentally. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there.”
Meanwhile, Nadal is set to return to action at this week’s Laver Cup in London. This year’s Laver Cup edition will be marked by Roger Federer’s retirement from tennis. After the US Open was over, Nadal hinted he may take a break. But with Federer playing his final tournament, there was no chance that Nadal would miss the Laver Cup.
