“One of the greatest men in the history of sports”

In a detailed interview, Rafael Nadal talks about the injury that nearly cost him his career, thoughts of resignation and Roger Federer, and is not stingy with praise for his biggest rival.

With his 13th French Open win, Rafael Nadal caught up with Roger Federer in October when it came to Grand Slam wins. The Spanish and the Swiss have won 20 major tournaments each. The issue of GOAT tennis has been raised again since then. However, many are of the opinion that Federer is simply the more talented player than the “bull from Manacor” with his great fighter’s heart.

Well, Nadal can’t do much with this thesis. “What does talent mean?” He asked in an interview with “Corriere della Sera.” “Each of us has our own talents. Everything is very easy for one, the other knows how to stay on the field for a long time. “Nadal cannot answer the question about the best player of all time, GOAT tennis (the greatest of all time). Because every player has a different style.

However, there are also things where he and Roger Federer score similarly. “We are similar in some ways. We guarantee peace and tranquility for the family ”, says Nadal, who describes the Swiss as“ one of the greatest men in the history of sport ”. For him, Federer is a “partner”, a buddy. “And he was my great rival, that was good for both of us and also for tennis.”

But there are also things where Federer and Nadal are completely different. «He is Swiss, I am Latin. We have different characters, cultures and ways of life, ”says the Spanish.

“They said I could never play again”

Nadal is grateful for everything he has accomplished so far. Because he knows that his career almost came to an end after his first French Open title. «I was 19 when I won at Roland Garros for the first time. Then they told me that I would never be able to play again due to a malformation in my left foot, ”says the 34-year-old.

“I was in so much pain that I was training to hit a ball while sitting in the middle of the court.” Fortunately, thanks to a special insole, the foot recovered. But because this changed the position of his foot, his knees were swollen. Time and time again he had to face setbacks due to physical problems, but Nadal struggled to recover and gained more and more sympathy among the fans.

Nadal reveals that after some bitter defeats, he was overwhelmed by his feelings. For example, after the lost final at Wimbledon in 2007 against Federer. “Yes, I was desperate and I cried for an hour and a half in the cabin. Even if it’s just a tennis match, sometimes the disappointment is terrible. ”

In 2014, when Stan Wawrinka defeated the injured Nadal in the Australian Open final, the Spaniard exploded: “I cried in pain when I injured my back after winning the first set. I lost, but I didn’t give up. You just don’t do that in a Grand Slam final. “

“I think against any opponent I can lose”

Despite these defeats, Nadal achieved a great victory after a great victory. The King of the Arena has already won the French Open 13 times, such a demonstration is unparalleled in the world of sports, let alone in tennis.

What is the secret of Nadal’s success? «You always have to have a goal in life. A hope. An illusion, if necessary, ”he says. He cannot explain why he is this “chosen” record champion. “I am a normal person. With my insecurities, my fears. “But he is not afraid of defeat.” No way! But I always think that I can lose. I think against all opponents. And that helps me a lot, “says Nadal.

Another key to success is the great discipline that Spanish shows. In fact, he has never broken a bat in his long career. Why? “Because as a child they taught me that this was not done. I’m the one who made the mistake, not the bully. ”

The question of resignation remains. How much longer can we enjoy Nadal? “I don’t know. Tennis is a game of the mind, it is not math. When the time comes, I will know.”