Incredibly, last spring, analysts were asking whether Rafael Nadal‘s career was wobbling. He hadn’t won a tournament in 11 months. One heard whispers: would Rafa again be a major force? Then tennis got to its annual spring rite — the clay-court circuit — and voila, Nadal morphed into a victory machine. He became the first player to ever sweep the big four clay-court tournaments — Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid and Paris. Pat Cash noted that, “[Nadal] is already the finest player ever to compete on a clay court. He has it all — strength, speed, the ability to unleash an attacking winner from the depths of defense with amazing racket control and power.”
But Rafa’s signature foe, Roger Federer, was dismissive, claiming, “On clay you don’t need to have a volley. You almost don’t need a serve. All you need to have is legs, an incredible forehand and backhand and to run things down.”
But as Nadal was sweeping to victory at Wimbledon the accolades mounted. The Tennis Channel said it was about time the word ‘Phenomnadal’ was invented. Nadal’s every gesture was deconstructed.
“He never smiles during a match,” noted The New Yorker’s Calvin Tompkins. “[But] if he’s won, his transparent joy transforms him into a Caravaggesque seraph.”
Justin Gimelstob was more to the point, saying: “Nadal’s willingness to compete, his joy of the battle is his greatest weapon.”
Bruce Jenkins added that Nadal is “a singular whirlwind of passion, form and aesthetics.”
All the while, Rafa’s ever-cautionary coach, Uncle Toni, was keeping it real. Each time before Rafa faced Federer, it’s said that Toni would list Rafael’s deficiencies, stroke by stroke, and say how much better Federer is, and then conclude, “But if you believe and work, you can win.”
As the wins piled up the Rafa-ology be?came more intense. Everyone had their take.
Pete Sampras noted, “Nadal is just an incredible athlete. Mentally and physically he’s as strong as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s just 24…If he stays strong, he’ll win as many majors as anyone.”
Agassi was more specific, saying, “Rafa is so good with his feet that you believe he’s on defense, but he has the ability to be just close enough to be offensive, and it forces you to never know when to commit and when to count on being able to take over the point…If I throw a blow and know that you are slightly hurt, I’m going to make my next decision thinking that you’re hurt, but if I hit my best shot in the world and I find you are really not really hurt I find myself being indecisive.”
Voices as diverse as Kim Clijsters and John McEnore praised the adaptability and uncanny ability to improve of a clay-courter who plays up on the baseline on grass and a guy who had the guts to overhaul his serve just three days before the U.S. Open.
Once dismissed as merely a dirtmeister, Nadal not only has his five Roland Garros titles, but is the youngest ever to have claimed a career Grand Slam.
After losing to Rafa in the U.S. Open final, Novak Djokovic expressed the conventional wisdom, saying “Nadal is proving each day, each year, that he’s getting better. That’s what’s so frustrating. He gets better each time you play him. He’s so mentally strong and dedicated. He has everything in order to be the biggest ever. He has the game now for each surface and he has won each major. He has proven to the world that he’s the best in this moment, there is no question about it.”
On a more global scale the Observer’s Kevin Mitchell claimed Nadal was “the world’s most dominant athlete. With Tiger yet to regain his winning form, only Usain Bolt, surely, challenges Nadal as the biggest individual star in sports… An argument might be made for Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing wizard, but not with any conviction. No footballer stands out like Nadal does, no cricketer, basketball player, swimmer, jumper, rider, driver or hitter.”
But in the end what really stands out about Nadal (aside from his musculature) is a prevailing modesty. Others talk about him winning the Grand Slam in ’11. “No way,” says Rafa. Others point to his near-dominant record against Federer, question whether Roger can truly be called the best of all time and, in the same breath, ask whether Rafa will eventually emerge (despite his suspect knees) to claim the most Slam titles of all time. But Rafa’s mantra is unchanging: “What Roger has done is amazing, no?” Then he adds that, “Head to head is not an element for me.”
As for his own stats, Nadal says with wonderment, “The numbers are unbelievable for me, no? When I see these titles and these numbers, for me is amazing. I don’t know how I did it.”
With Stefan Edberg, the most humble No. 1 in memory, he is the product of his coach who has perspective and gets the big picture.
“I tell him,” says Uncle Toni, “you must be always grateful of the life. One of the most important things I say always to Rafael is to have a good face. Because in this life, the ball going out is not a very big problem.”
