Rafael Nadal: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

The question

Originally asked

Vanity Fair, to its interview subject, The Proust Questionnaire

Verbatim recurring item in Vanity Fair's Proust Questionnaire; two publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Rafael Nadal

Spanish professional tennis player, 2001–2024

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Playing tennis, competing, winning, but also being at home in Spain, in Majorca, with my friends and family.

The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 October 2010 source ↗

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Jim Broadbent

Weeping with laughter.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 26 January 2018 source ↗

Hugh Jackman

Seeing my family thrive and being underwater.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 23 November 2022 source ↗

Candice Bergen

Watching Foyle’s War in bed with my husband and the dogs.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 6 April 2015 source ↗

Luise Rainer

First of all, to be in love. The second way of being very happy is to be able to get the best out of yourself, whatever it is.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 March 2010 source ↗

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Question What is the trait you most deplore in others? Values & belief

Selfishness and no respect for the others.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2010 source ↗

Question What is your greatest fear? Identity & self

I don’t think I have one in particular. I am pretty calm. Just some small things that I better not comment on :-).

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2010 source ↗

Question When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do? Daily life

Sometimes when I'm in the first round or second round, and I'm not playing well, I say, okay, just accept it. Don't get frustrated. Just accept and focus.

Recorded Jon Wertheim, 60 Minutes, CBS, CBS News / 60 Minutes, 5 July 2020 source ↗

Question What do you value most in your friends? Relationships

The word says it all. To be a friend means that they are always there, for the good or the bad.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 October 2010 source ↗

Question What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love? Daily life

If I don't do that with the bottles, then I sit down, I could be thinking of something else. If I do always the same things, it means that I am focused and I'm alert to think purely about tennis.

Recorded Jon Wertheim, 60 Minutes, CBS, CBS News / 60 Minutes, 5 July 2020 source ↗

Question What are you unwilling to optimise? Values & belief

These tics do bother me. Could I play a match without them? Yes, without some of them. I don't have to touch my nose or put my hair behind my ears before I serve. That's possible to stop. Not putting the bottles in front of my chair, I could go without that, too. But adjusting my underwear, that I could never get rid of. It's impossible.

Recorded Town & Country, 1 January 2025 source ↗

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