Healthy Hollywood: Try It On Tuesday – Rafael Nadal’s Game Day Style!

Healthy Hollywood already knows tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has major game! In my humble opinion, he’s the most exciting player to watch on the court. The 27 year-old has won 12 grand slam titles and hopefully the U.S. Open will be his lucky thirteenth.

“There is not only one way to be a good tennis player or to be fit,” Nadal revealed at yesterday’s U.S. Open press conference. “Not all the players who had success in the history [of the sport] had the same diet or had the same style of play. Everybody’s different.”

Nadal may claim he’s just a normal guy, yet his athletic ability and floppy-haired appeal have gotten him noticed by GQ Magazine, which recently hailed him “the most stylish” tennis player around.

Yet, Healthy Hollywood was surprised to find out that this seemingly low-key Spaniard primps before he steps onto the court. Celebrity hairstylist Julien Farel has a pop-up salon at the U.S. Open and styles the players’ hair before their matches. A courtside hairstylist is news to me!

According to Julien, who a few years back famously shortened Nadal’s then shoulder length hair, reveals he cuts the tennis superstar’s hair every year.

“We champion style and performance for a player’s look and that’s why I generally see Nadal year after year, just prior to the U.S. Open, for his haircut. There’s a joke among our team that our haircuts are so good, players wait from time of Wimbledon to the U.S. Open to visit us,” Julien said.

Julien and his team actually style all of the players’ hair before they go onto the court. The challenge is creating a look that’s fabulous yet practical. “The main request is that the hairstyle mirror their personalities and overall look and have the ability to hold up on the court through the fierce tennis rallies.”

So, what’s Julien’s trick? “Wear a sports band or cotton bandana (like Nadal’s recognized look) around your hairline [where you] tend to sweat. [For the ladies], a braided ponytail is another favorite of mine. This keeps hair strongly in place and will help reduce the amount of sweat that your hair might pick up around the neckline vs. a ponytail, where the hair is loose.”

For more on Julien, check out www.julienfarel.com

— Terri MacLeod