Rafael Nadal, rock star of tennis for all seasons
Tennis fans who have frequently engaged in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debates need to realise they must stop this nonsense ASAP. With the Monarch of Tennis Rafael Nadal deciding to retire and the Davis Cup his last appearance in Malaga next month, emotions are overflowing in media and social media. The last two years have been shocking and at the same time a reality, tennis icons also have a shelf life measured not by titles won but what moments they have provided to cherish. RF – Roger Federer -- retired in 2022, Sir Andy Muray waved goodbye recently and, now, Rafa is leaving.
If you happen to be a tennis lover, the biggest respect is not to look at win/loss record, titles won, Grand Slam records and so on. Sport is about humans creating magic and if it happens to be the perimeters of a tennis court, enjoy the brilliant moments they provided. It is easy to say Nadal has become old or is now unfit. Damn, for a man who was playing on nerve blockers (local anaesthesia) injections on his foot for over 15 years, which he did not hide, one can imagine what it means to ‘kill’ pain and compete. Unless you relate to sport as a player or a person or someone who understands the nuances, you can never relate to highs and lows. Yes, there have been more lows for Rafa in the last two years but the Grand Slams won in Melbourne and Paris in 2022 are not ancient history. His body breakdown in 2023 and attempts at coming back were so hard, it made you cry.
Nadal thought a break in 2023 would help him be ready in 2024, a year where he wanted to peak at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Sadly, that did not happen. As an eye witness to his aura and charisma, the way crowds lined up at Roland Garros in July to see him at the Olympics was testimony to his popularity. He is as famous as the Eiffel Tower, someone who has towered above the field in tennis with intense rivalries which were beautiful. All the three dramatis personae in these contests spread around the globe, Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic played each other with respect. Some battles were won and some lost but for three champions to have created that brilliance in every way on hard courts, clay and grass was out of the world. It is hard to imagine, nay unthinkable, tennis will witness, again, three fresh champions rise and compete at the highest levels for so long.
Young Turks are there like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, now literally on tenterhooks after the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) has dragged him to the CAS plus Holger Rune. For them to be spoken in the same breath as RF, Rafa and Novak will be wrong. Back to Nadal, or Rafa, he is a charmer. To win 22 Grand Slam titles and be number one for so long plus feature in four Davis Cup wins for Spain, the legend tag suits him. If you have watched him only win on clay in Paris for his 14 French Open titles, you missed a lot.
What he achieved in melting Melbourne even in 2022, plus the Wimbledon titles and US Open titles define him as an all-court player who was so creative. Natural that, being a left-hander, which is why not just his groundstrokes but even volleys and mid-court shots smelt so good. He was no bunny at the net and in terms of stage presence, what a hit he was with the young girls. If you had watched a young Rafa, he had that rock-star appeal, who drove hormones crazy for girls who came to watch him. He smiled and girls swooned. Of course, at 38, people still love him, though as a happily married man his fan base is now more broad-based.
Back to his rivalries with Federer and Djokovic, each contest was a classic. If you watched it purely as a tennis fan, nobody lost. Tennis won as it produced such high energy and a tapestry of tennis which gave you the highs. Remember Rafa for what all he did, how good his behaviour was, what kind of an example he set. When he came to the ATP Tour event in Chennai almost 17 years ago, he was so humble. The way he met people defined his class and being so simple. As one fortunate to watch him train as well, the hard work he put in was methodical and punishing. It showed how much he slogged to look superbly fit. His body was sculpted. Sadly, the same body is now creating trouble. At 38, it cannot be in peak shape, so Rafa saying bye is well-timed, just like the music which emanated when his racquet string made contact with the tennis ball.
