Taking his first notable steps on the ATP Tour in 2003, Rafael Nadal became the youngest male tennis player. Blessed with enormous talent, physical strength and an iron will, it didn’t take long for Rafa to become one of the best players in the world and a major champion by the time he turned 19.
The Spaniard has established himself as one of the toughest opponents to face on any surface, always giving his best and refusing to give up even in desperate situations.
Throughout his career, Nadal has repeatedly recovered from a match point to win. Such a situation happened against Stefanos Tsitsipas in that epic 2021 Barcelona Open final.
After the match, Tsitsipas said Nadal hated losing more than anyone on the Tour. The young Greek was inspired by this and did his best to keep up with this pace and stay competitive against the best player in history on clay.
Nadal replied that he doesn’t hate losing, accepting many tough defeats throughout his career. For Rafa, the most important thing is to show the fighting spirit and give his best every time he steps on the pitch.
Moreover, Nadal said he had to give his all in such a grand final, beating Stefanos 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 after three hours and 38 minutes of incredible tennis. Tsitsipas survived two game points in set number two before stealing it in the tie-break, pushing Nadal to the limit and creating that game point in game ten of the deciding set.
Rafa saved it and won three games in a row to claim the 12th Barcelona Open title. “The truth is, I don’t hate losing, I like winning.
Above all, I want to compete and work hard to achieve my goals.”
Nastase reflects on Rafael Nadal:
Rafael Nadal made a remarkable return to the circuit in 2022, after spending six months on the sidelines with an injury.
In a recent interview, former World No. 1 Ilie Nastase weighed in on the GOAT debate involving the three players. “It’s clear that if the question is who has the most titles, the answer is Nadal,” Nastase told MARCA.
“If we are talking about the best of all time, there are other factors. Roger Federer has an impressive talent… But there is no doubt that Rafa has 21 Grand Slams and Federer and Djokovic have none. only have 20.”
Nastase also spoke about Federer and Djokovic’s chances of adding Grand Slam titles to their tally. The Romanian says Federer’s chances are dwindling but the Swiss should never be counted out.
“He’s been playing very little lately, but he’ll always have a chance if he keeps playing and reaches a final,” Nastase said.
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