Just as Rafael Nadal is unpacking his suitcase in Paris — his all-time favorite city — to compete in the BNP Paribas Masters 2008, the October 24 issue of Sport Magazine features an interesting portrait of the Spaniard. The new world number one in men’s tennis remains a simple, straightforward guy — Sport even describe him as a good-natured hard-working ideal son-in-law — who doesn’t feel any different than he was six month ago, when he was still trailing Federer. “Maybe it’s a very special year for me, but it won’t change much. I still have the same goal, winning titles and play the same way I did when I was number two. I will always be the same.”

But France’s Gilles Simon could well be standing in Nadal’s way again, just like he did at the Madrid Masters last Saturday. Since February 2008, the 23-year-old Frenchman boosted his ATP ranking from 36 to 10, by defeating Novak Djokovic (#3) in Marseille, Roger Federer (still #1 in July) in Toronto and Rafel Nadal last week. He is photographed by Corinne Dubreuil for Sport (below).

BNP Paribas Masters 2008
Corinne Dubreuil photography
Sport Magazine