Tennis isn’t Rafael Nadal’s only game, apparently, as the pro tennis player proved his poker playing prowess by winning his first PokerStars tournament.
Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal, at one time #1 in the Australian Open, currently #5 in the world, and 11-time Grand Slam tennis champion, has been whetting his chops at the poker tables during an 8-month medical leave from his first game of tennis to recover from injuries. And all that practice seems to be starting to pay off as Nadal won a €10 freezeout event hosted by Poker Stars, where he is a sponsored player, making this his first ever poker tournament win.
The money Nadal won is insignificant (€152.40) compared with the millions he’s won playing tennis. But the accomplishment is still a big boost to his sportsman’s ego and to his status in the online and offline poker community. There were 48 players in all in this competition, including Nadal, which took place on the Spanish Poker Stars site: pokerstars.es. It took just a bit over 2 hours for Nadal to clear the court, so to speak, and claim the top prize.
Previously Nadal showed himself to be developing his skills at bluffing and even performed admirably at the last €200 ESCOOP festival in Spain, until his A-K got out-flopped by 2 Jacks.
The 26-year old competitor joined Team PokerStars in June of 2012. Nadal will return to professional tennis at the ATP 250 event taking place the 1st week of February in Chile.
