I am glad to hear Rafa is finally doing better. The end of the season was not the same without him at his best. Excited for next year!

December 3rd, 2014 at 10:29 am

Great honour receiving this Award.
Practise well Rafa.
Vamos Champ!

December 3rd, 2014 at 10:41 am

Can’t wait to see my favorite guy in all of sports on the courts soon.

December 3rd, 2014 at 11:14 am

Nice award congrats Rafa,you really look handsome,im looking forward to seeing him back playing now,youself and Xisca really are such a cute looking couple,welcome back Rafa….

December 3rd, 2014 at 11:59 am

Thanks for the warm welcome. I realize there won’t be 500 comments on this post but I am thankful to you all.

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:06 pm

Congratulations Rafael on that award. One knows from being the proud majorcan you are that it will mean a great deal to you. Much deserved especially considering that you are setting up a public institution in your home town. Vamos champ!

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:40 pm

Never heard of theaward before Brando. What exactly is it for and have you heard of it before?

Obviously known in one country, not worldwide.

Good for Rafa though! He needed some cheering up.

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:02 pm

What is really lovely about things like this is when the whole family are there. Just watched the video in full. (Still don’t know what the award was for?), mum and dad separated by Xisca and then the extended family there too.

Very nice.

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:08 pm

Madmax nice post ;))….

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:37 pm

(Still don’t know what the award was for?)

Favourite Son Award (Fill predilecte in Catalan) is equal to a Distinguished Citizen Award in some other countries – a recognition of a native person’s extraordinary contribution to the community.

There were 11 recipients of the Favourite Son of Mallorca title before Nadal, all receiving the award posthumously (the last one was guitarist Paco de Lucia right after he died a few months ago), so Nadal is the first one getting it while still alive.

There’s also an Adoptive Son Award (Hijo adoptivo in Spanish), equal to a Honorary Citizen Award elsewhere. It’s also for extraordinary contribution to community, but by a non-native individual.

Nadal recently became an Adoptive Son of Madrid.

December 4th, 2014 at 1:01 am

The award was self explanatory……a favorite son!
We have these type of awards in our state.

@Peter…..Thanks for the in-depth explanation. This is a nice award for him…..I know his parents are so proud.

Congrats Rafa and Vamos!!

December 4th, 2014 at 2:41 am

@Peter. Thanks for the explanation. Much appreciated.

December 4th, 2014 at 3:59 am

http://www.hautetime.com/wrist-action-rafael-nadal-reflects-watch-collection-tennis-titles-richard-mille-collab/60461/#.VH-g1ruKeNE.twitter
For Rafa fans.

December 4th, 2014 at 4:15 am

https://twitter.com/arni_abd/status/540409428663468032
Nice words and so true.

December 4th, 2014 at 5:34 am

Giles nice links,and i love that paintingin the middle,and i repeat what i said some days ago,nobody should ever say that Rafa does not look good in a suit….

December 4th, 2014 at 12:35 pm

I remember once the singer James Blunt did an album cover made up of all photographs of himself,to make up one picture of his face,on Rafas website on a link called vamos brigade,theres was one picture of Rafa made up of all old photographs of all his many wins and trophies,which i didnt notice till i looked a bit more closely,i thought at the time how clever both looked at the time….

December 4th, 2014 at 12:46 pm

And as for Nadal’s extraordinary contribution to the community:

This year his Foundation successfully organized the first edition of the Rafa Nadal Tour, a junior clay-court tennis competition for U12 and U14 boys and girls, with preliminary legs in 4 different Spanish cities and the final in Palma de Mallorca this November.

Last week there was a foundation stone laying ceremony for the Rafa Nadal Sports Centre to host his tennis academy with boarding school as well as sports facilities for tennis, padel, football and swimming to be used also by the citizens.

Not to mention the ongoing work of 4 years by the Rafa Nadal Foundation on social integration through free tennis lessons in several centres throughout Spain for intellectually disabled children and children from disfunctional families, including real tennis tournaments for them. One such centre, but including also a school will be built in Palma next year.

So, yeah, in addition to being a sports icon, I should say Nadal has done a little something as a contribution to his community.

December 4th, 2014 at 2:17 pm

Peter although im not one for celebrities and charities,its always noteworthy to see them giving something back to community and those that got them to where they are….

December 4th, 2014 at 2:32 pm

Congratulations to Rafa upon receiving this honour. It is so well deserved. He is a great tennis champion, but an even greater person. So glad it has been recognized.

December 4th, 2014 at 6:46 pm

He does look great in a suit. Rafa acted sort of shy and embarrassed at the awards ceremony. I don’t really think he likes all the attention. Did anyone else get that vibe or just me? Of course, I don’t have a clue what that lady said or Rafa either. I thought in the practice video he looked like he’d put on a little bit of weight……

December 4th, 2014 at 10:32 pm

Yawn…I mean c’mon, wake me up when there is an actual Tennis award earned. This is all nicey and all but what Tennis achievement has been awarded……..anyone?

December 4th, 2014 at 10:36 pm

Meh, bonny for him. Like ‘keys of the city’ I imagine. Skeezer, Fed got one from his hometown too. Ehrespalebaerglemer, I believe it was called, in 2009. Meh, bonny for him, too.
Not tennis awards, but nice for them to be acknowledged, I guess :)

December 4th, 2014 at 11:26 pm

@Damien…..”Bonny for him”….have never heard that term…bonny……here in the state’s we say “bully” for him…..I say “bully” for both of them too! It’s just a nice way of honoring their hometown celebrities. The recording artist Blake Shelton is from my hometown and they sectioned off the end of our main street and named it for him. I think it’s just the kosher thing to do nowadays……the hometowns, states and countries are proud of their celebs and want to show it! They also gave Blake the key to the city of Ada…….just like you said….

No, not tennis awards, but tennis is indirectly responsible for them receiving them.

December 5th, 2014 at 12:43 am

Yeah fair enough,bully for him,but i dont think many fans complain when its their own favorites winning an award,i actually thought it was a nice change to hear Rafa been talked of in a positive light,however when it comes to positive Rafa headlines like him opening his own centre,or his own foundation like Peter mentioned then people dont want to know….

December 5th, 2014 at 5:20 am

@Chick^^^^^ DITTO!

December 5th, 2014 at 11:04 am

@Okiegal @HC
Both great points :)

December 5th, 2014 at 5:50 pm

Thanks Damien Mills :))….

December 5th, 2014 at 5:59 pm

Thanks, Damien!!

December 5th, 2014 at 6:04 pm