A week ago the Nadal family celebrated that one of its members, Joan Nadal, played his first professional match at the ITF M15 tournament in Manacor. The youngest son of Toni Nadal, Rafa's uncle and former coach, lost in the qualifying match against Turkish Kuzey Cekirge, 20 and 14th seed in this qualification, 6-1, 6-3. And this Sunday the joy at the Rafa Nadal Academy was even greater because both Joan himself and his older brother, Toni, achieved their first professional victory in the qualy of the second M15 that takes place in the Mallorcan town.
Toni, 17, beat Luxembourg's Lennart Melzer (19) by a double 6-2 and Joan, 16, beat the Russian Denis Klok (22 and seventh favorite of this previous one), whom he won 6-2 , 5-7 and 10-8. This Monday, the first will face the Ukrainian Oleg Prihodko (11th) and the second, the Slovak Peter Benjamin Privara. The two could be in the main draw if they win another two games because they wouldn't cross over if they advance.
A few months ago, the two faced each other and Joan won 6-3, 4-6 and 11-9 in the quarterfinals of the Absolute Championship of Mallorca. Both are disciples of their cousin's Academy and there is no better environment and environment than that in which they can learn and develop.