Respect is the name of the game for world No 1 Rafael Nadal

World No 1 Rafael Nadal is not afraid to roll up his sleeves for a cause.

Rafael Nadal hits a backhand during practice on Friday at Melbourne Park. Picture: AAP

Rafael Nadal’s personal logo is inspired by a raging bull.

In full flight the Spaniard is an irrepressible presence, unwilling to be conquered.

This indomitable will has driven Nadal to places where his body has broken.

But never has his spirit wavered, as evidenced in his ability to rebound from serious injuries to reclaim the world’s top ranking aged 33.

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The 12-time Roland Garros champion is the greatest clay courter in history. And by the time the remarkable careers of Novak Djokovic, Federer and Nadal are complete, the 19-time major champion might be the grandest of them all.

Nadal, who opens his Australian Open campaign on Tuesday against Bolivian Hugo Dellien, is a superstar in every sense of the word.

But according to the world No 1, the moments he appreciates the most are when someone close to him issues a firm “No”.

That, as Nadal said in an interview with The Weekend Australian, is what ensures he remains down to earth.

“Of course, when you hear things that you don’t like, that no one likes, negative things, it is difficult to listen to negative things,” he said.

“Or when you are not (doing) things the right way, because, first of all, that makes you feel alive. It makes you feel real. If not, you are not living in the real world.

“It is difficult because sometimes … people with success, they have people around all day they tell you how good you are, how good you do things.

“This is a difficult situation because, for example in tennis, you pay your coach, your physio, your people, so it is difficult for these people to tell you are not playing well, or (that) this (is a) disaster, because then they may feel their jobs are at risk.

“People feel free to tell me what they really believe and what they think will be good for me.”

There are countless stories of Nadal’s normality. It is part of the folklore surrounding his career that, from a young age, his uncle Toni told him that he must carry his own bag.

Respect is also important to Nadal and his clan. And it extends to his fans and those around him. One example occurred during the Shanghai Masters in 2017, a year Nadal was beaten in the final by Roger Federer.

On arriving back at the tournament hotel, which is not far from the Jing’an Temple, the 12-time French Open champion stepped from his car into a physical and literal storm.

The rain was torrential in Shanghai but more daunting was the mob of frenzied fans waiting to catch a glimpse of stardom.

Despite the presence of security, it took him almost 20 minutes to get from the hotel’s lobby to the lift well as he signed autographs for hundreds of fans.

His security detail held ajar a lift for him and, once through the throng, Nadal and his team slipped into the elevator.

But the 2009 Australian Open champion had spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Others were there before them.

Rafael Nadal works with residents to clear the mud from their houses after flooding in Mallorca. ‘When you see thesedisasters, it is something that I am super sad (about),’ he says.

Despite feeling fatigued from a match and then the throng, he refused to let the lift depart until those waiting had joined the party.

“I want to be a normal human person, not (the) superstar that I am here, and (hear) that I am always right. I want to be (on) the same stage as everyone (else),” he said.

Like many of his peers, Nadal is touched by the bushfire crisis in Australia this summer.

The Spaniard is a lover of nature. When he arrived in Perth a fortnight ago, he headed to Rottnest Island for what is now an obligatory photograph with a quokka.

In moments of rest, he is more inclined to be found on the beach than visiting a metropolis. That is saved for his day job. And, not surprisingly, Nadal is also handy in a crisis.

When his home island Mallorca was hit with a disastrous flood in 2018, the King of Clay not only donated $1.62m to victims but also hit the streets with shovels and mops.

Similarly in Melbourne this week, Nadal and Federer donated $250,000 and played key roles in the Rally for Relief that raised almost $5m on Wednesday night.

“We have lost a lot here in Australia in the last months. Even if I am from the northern part of the world, it is about our planet and I love our planet,” he said.

“I am from an island and I love the ocean and when you see these disasters, it is something that I am super sad. For example, one year ago, we had big floods in Mallorca too, and I am happy in that moment that I was able to help in some way, at some point.”

But he would prefer to have his philanthropy hidden, saying he hates the “promotional” aspect attached to charity efforts.

A titan of tennis, Nadal is an athlete whose name carries global recognition. As such, he is sought out to be the face of corporate campaigns around the world.

Loyalty is important to him in his private life and also when it comes to his brand.

An example came earlier this week when he handed over the Australian Open fleet of cars for Kia, a sponsor of 15 years.

Nadal is the face of a new campaign for InsureAndGo, an Australian online travel insurer which is a subsidiary of MAPFRE, a Spanish company he has been aligned with for more than a decade.

An advertisement begins with the reigning French and US Open champion packing his bags. He then carries them — of course — to his car, before carefully applying his headband and wrapping plaster for his fingers ahead of a practice session.

Interspersed with footage of holiday-makers heading to destinations around the world, the message is clear. Preparation is the key to success. “Go there,” Nadal declares. But be prepared when you do. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experiences that touring in Australia has given me, and I believe InsureAndGo’s campaign is a fantastic way to encourage Aussies to travel, and elevating the importance of taking travel insurance,” Nadal said.

The immediate destination on Nadal’s mind is Rod Laver Arena, where he will aim for a second Australian Open title.

It would be a historic achievement if successful, for he would draw level with Roger Federer as the all-time record holder of 20 major titles in men’s ranks.

The Australian Open is his least successful major but Nadal has also made the final a further four times, most recently last year when beaten by Djokovic.

Nadal has tinkered with his game at different stages with great success. A grip change has bolstered his serve. He has embraced the net more frequently and is regularly the aggressor on points.

And he has spent the past week in Melbourne working on a strategy he hopes will allow him to start the new decade as the Australian Open champion.

“You try things. Sometimes it works well. Sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.

Courtney Walsh interviewed Rafael Nadal courtesy of InsureAndGo