When a player says they can’t remember playing a match without discomfort it is usually a worrying sign but for Rafael Nadal he sees no reason to be alarmed.
The world No.2 has played on the Tour for more than 15 years during a career that has seen him become the most decorated clay-court player in history and one of only two men to have won 20 major titles. The other is Roger Federer. Overall, Nadal has won 86 ATP titles and has spent 209 weeks as world No.1.
Besides his success, the king of clay has also experienced his fair share of injury issues. The most recent being a back problem at the start of this year which threatened to spoil his Australian Open campaign. Nadal lost in the quarter-finals of the tournament to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“Honestly, I don’t remember ever playing without pain. In the past few years, I have been experiencing pain more often, and you need to learn to live with it, as long as it doesn’t stop you from playing,” Nadal said during a recent interview with Veja magazine.
Nadal believes adapting his game over the years has played a pivotal role in his longevity in the sport. He is currently the third oldest player in the top 20 after Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. When he made his ATP Tour debut at the 2002 Mallorca Open Italian world No.34 Jannik Sinner was only six months old.
“I had to change a lot in my game and in my training. I changed routines, trained less hours than I would like, improved my serve and my positioning. Everything evolves, one way or the other,” he explains.
As a member of the illusive Big Three Nadal has been mentioned numerous times in the Greatest Of All Time debate. A subjective debate in the sport considering the various measurements that can be used to determine a player’s value. Arguments for Nadal to receive the honour include his dominance on the clay, the fact he has been ranked continuously inside the top 10 since April 2005 and he has won the most matches (but not titles) in Masters 1000 tournaments.
Whilst the GOAT debate continues, what does Nadal think about it himself?
“People like to speculate, which is why they make these comparisons,” he said. “When my career is over, we will have enough time to remember my achievements and understand the place I occupy in the history of tennis.’
“I never thought I would win as many titles as I did, so I am very grateful and happy for everything I have achieved in my career. . I don’t need to get into the discussion about who is the best.”
For the moment Nadal is happy to continue playing on the Tour with no plans of hanging up his racket anytime soon. Perhaps the biggest factor concerning his future isn’t his mentality but how his body will hold up over the coming years.
