‘Rafael Nadal can win any tournament he plays in’, says ATP star

World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas says Rafael Nadal is someone who never makes excuses and often does things that “seem impossible” Nadal, 36, thought he would be forced to miss the Australian Open but traveled to that country and won his 21st Grand Slam title. Nadal was then hampered by chronic foot pain just a week before the French Open, but found a way to compete and win a record 22nd Grand Slam title. “I don’t think there are many players who are capable of doing everything that Rafa has shown us over the years. He has shown himself to be disciplined, hard-working and constant. He has always kept training to improve and learn. He doesn’t make excuses when things aren’t going well. And despite everything that has happened to his foot, even in his worst moments, he always knows how to get up, and is an example for everyone. Nadal does things that seem impossible. And I’m talking about things like winning this Roland Garros, and doing it up to 14 times; or conquer 22 Grand Slams. He dominates all terrains,” Tsitsipas told Ultima Hora, quoted by Sportskeeda. This week, Tsitsipas is competing in a grass-court event in Mallorca. Nadal, who is from Mallorca, practiced there last week before traveling to London on Monday. “From tennis in this case, but also from Mallorca, from his Island, and from Spain. He is a world ambassador of sport and the best ambassador of Mallorca. He is a person known all over the planet,” Tsitsipas said. Tsitsipas is playing his third grass-court tournament, while Nadal will play two exhibition matches in Hurlingham this week.

Rafa Nadal is improving on grass

In an interview with Spanish media outlet Dairio de Mallorca, Medvedev picked Novak Djokovic as one of the best players in the history of the game on grass. “Novak is always the favourite. He has won the last three Wimbledons that have been played. He plays very well on grass. If we talk about the best players in history on grass, I would place him at the top, although I have not seen Borg or Sampras play.” The 2021 US Open champion further picked Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini as the other two favorites for Wimbledon 2022. The 26-year-old Russian added, “From my generation, Federer and Djokovic are the best. Of course, Nadal can win any tournament he plays in and Berrettini is playing at a high level. Speaking of favourites, Djokovic, Berrettini and Nadal.”