Rafael Nadal
When I was growing up, my tennis idol was Roger Federer. Despite the fact that I’m a lefty and my favourite surface is clay, my allegiance lay with him instead of Rafa. Every time they played each other, it was an emotional rollercoaster.
Rafa was the enemy. His every whipping forehand pass, every sliding backhand would be dreaded. Sometimes the tension was so high I had to step away from the TV. When Rafa beat Roger, it was a dagger to the heart. Wimbledon 2008 was a nightmare.
As the years progressed and Roger competed less because of injury, my stance on Rafa softened. With Roger somewhat out of the picture, my view of Rafa was no longer obscured by my support for Roger. Rafa wasn’t winning at the expense of Roger.
As I started watching Rafa more and more, I came to appreciate him more and more as well.
Roger made everything look effortless. His tennis game was a work of art.
Rafa by contrast was brawns and hustle. He bullied his way through the court, sliding into corners, jumping into forehands and punctuating his shots with grunts.
He is of course outrageously talented as well and certain parts of his game like his net play, which requires immense feel, were massively underrated.
But what set Rafa apart, was his fight. His dedication to play each and every point as if it were his last.
Rafa played for the majority of his career with pain. I remember early on how people were saying that he’d retire before 30 due to injuries. Not only did he just retire at 38, but he also won 8 majors in his 30s, ranking second only to Novak Djokovic in the number of majors won by players in their 30s.
As both players are now retired and in the pantheon of tennis, I'm grateful to have been able to watch them both compete in their prime.
I’ve also come to the view that while Roger is in my eyes the most talented player in the history of tennis, Nadal is the one that we can learn the most from.
Roger is a gift from the tennis gods. The only thing one can do is to stand back in awe.
Rafa, and his commitment to giving his best, no matter the circumstances, is something that the rest of us can aspire to everyday.