There was a strange vicarious pleasure in seeing Tom Cruise dangling from a cliff or jump off it, for his missions which he always chose to accept. The same tingling sensation climbed up my spine every time Rafael Nadal came from behind to win his marathon rallies. Numb and exhausted with emotions, however, I saw myself win in those moments.
Rafael Nadal takes a bow, with his son in his arms, at the Court PhilippeChatrier during a ceremony held in his honour on Day One of the 2025 French Open in Paris
These two gentlemen, one, the biggest movie star the world has ever seen, and another, the ultimate tennis champion of my generation, have dominated my thoughts in the past few days. With Tom Cruise, or TC as his fans call him, travelling with Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning — that is being billed as the last film of a phenomenal action-adventure franchise that began in 1996 when his Ethan Hunt was almost cherubic — across the globe, those reels of Cruise, looking absolutely smashing in his monotone suits, climbing atop biplanes or the BFI IMAX building in London, have kept me scrolling through them compulsively. I simply can’t get enough of the man with those incredible looks and buoyant charisma even after the wear and tear of decades, talking passionately about making cinema (for the last four decades) and the cinema-going experience a memorable one. You might choke on your popcorn (which Cruise loves to munch on while he is watching films) when his bare torso of 62 fills up your IMAX screen. In countless interviews he has reiterated why he needs to look after his body the way he does. It’s to be able to push himself more and attempt stunts that will make your jaw drop to the floor. And, something you will only enjoy watching on the big screen.
The same relentlessness that made Rafael Nadal such a formidable force on the tennis court for over two decades. He has often been likened to a warrior, charging to win and never giving up. His recent farewell at Roland-Garros where he dominated with his historic wins (a whopping 14 out of his 22 Grand Slam titles) brought back a rush of memories. With Nadal still in the hunt, the match was always alive. It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over). A powerful reminder that you always have a choice of not to give up and fight till finish. I remember chewing off my nails and standing for three hours of the five hours and 24 minutes of the historic Australian Open nailbiter between the Spaniard and Daniil Medvedev, in 2022. Nadal won 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. One of the many unbelievable matches that were no less than battles for glory, full of gumption and self-belief. Nadal never, for once, felt he could lose. The same state of being ‘capable’ that Cruise talks about in his interviews.
It’s also the spirit of preparation that I find common to both Cruise and Nadal. Mounted on humongous budgets, prepping for the Mission movies takes years. Cruise’s death-defying stunts take months to just plan, before he starts training to eliminate all kinds of risks. We just see him get on and off his helicopter, in his simple T-shirts and pants, hair dishevelled-sexy, a black backpack in hand — the contents of which I’d very much like to know — but he is training all the time. He says he goes to work seven days a week. Always a student, attempting perfection.
In his autobiography, Rafa: My Story, Nadal has spoken about his rigorous training schedule, down to his meticulous arrangement of the water bottles and towels on the court, a ritual that helped him get into the winning psyche and a feeling of being in command.
At the Cannes premiere of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, Cruise was the infallible leader, the boss, rallying his troops around, putting the spotlight on them and basking in the radiance of their happy glow. Arresting. He says: “To lead is to serve”. And, he does lead from the front. His energy is as infectious as his megawatt smile. Whether it is signing a million autographs for hours on the red carpet (a rare star who does it) or making sure his Mission company gets its due. His team is effusive in his praise. Beyond the awe, there is genuine admiration. A special quality that Cruise seemed to have passed on to them. He has the kindest words for the members of his fraternity. He often speaks about his peers or the greats like Dustin Hoffman and Paul Newman in a manner worth learning and imbibing from.
Nadal, too, believes the likes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic made him the player he was, forcing him to up his game to be ready for the challenge. His friendship with Federer is a lesson in being sure of who you are and often reminds me of the deep bond between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Nadal is married to his childhood sweetheart Maria and their baby boy, a bundle of joy, was as much the star as his daddy, at the farewell. Cruise is married to his work. There are off and on link-up rumours, but post-2012, after his divorce with Katie Holmes, Cruise has chosen to only talk about his work. The hard work is for all to see as it always has been, but what about his heart? Well, here’s hoping it’s as throbbing red as the zillions of hearts that beat for him.
#endlesslove
