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What he did in 2022 is testimony to his power. Guy did surgery and had no preseason training and beats Medvedev who had beaten Djokovic in US Open in that comeback win. Then doesn't lose any games leading up to French open. Wins the French (beats Djokovic) as well then injuries again but still went to semis of Wimbledon then wins his game and defaulted (idk if he would've beaten Kyrgios but he was a fav) amazing. My Goat.
Injury is of course to be accounted for the greatness of a player, but yeah, Nadal missed a lot of chances. He was too accomplished as a player that people ignored the fact he might've accomplished more.
@@drummersinger5324 What is your evidence the injuries were predicated on style? He has a congenital foot issue, Muller-Weiss Syndrome that can precipitate other injuries. I don't think it is possible to win 22 majors with an inefficient style, let alone 14 majors on the most laborious of surfaces. The truth is he was more predisposed to injuries than his main rivals and it is unequivocal that this restricted his major haul. He would have won many more and had far more weeks at #1. This bothers people but is the truth.
@@IntelliaMarketing The foot issue definitely hampered his health but to say his style didn't impact his health is disingenuous. Obviously there's going to be more wear and tear if you run around like a madman after every ball. In part, he has to take some accountability for his health issues. It's the same like an NFL player being super physical and a heavy hitter, eventually you will wear down.
16:03 I would add these two facts to your list of sensational Rafa career achievements... 1. Rafa is probably the greatest Davis Cup player of all time. He is 29-1 in Davis Cup singles - and his only loss was his very first match on February 6th of 2004 at age 17. He has had 29 consecutive singles wins over the rest of his career. Rafa and Feliciano Lopez lost a Davis Cup doubles match (7-9 in the 5th set) on September 24th, 2005. Rafa has won EVERY Davis Cup match that he has played since that match. From September 25th, 2005 through today (February 18th, 2024)... Rafa is 25-0 in singles and 7-0 in doubles. He led Spain to FIVE Davis Cup wins. 2. Rafa has dominated his greatest rivals at the sport's biggest tournaments. His record vs. Novak at the Grand Slams is 11-7 (.611) and his record vs. Roger is 10-4 (.714). Rafa is 21-11 vs. his two great rivals in Grand Slam matches (.656 W%). Novak is 18-17 vs. his two great rivals in GS matches (.514 W%). Novak is 11-6 vs. Roger and 7-11 vs. Rafa. Roger is 10-21 vs. his two great rivals in GS matches (.323 W%). Roger is 4-10 vs. Rafa and 6-11 vs. Novak. If we add the next biggest match that Rafa and Novak played (the Olympics) Rafa is 12-7 vs. Novak (.632 W%). Rafa also beat Novak in their only meeting in Davis Cup play (which I consider to be their next biggest match) which puts Rafa up 13-7 (.650 W%) in their 20 biggest matches. Btw... both the Olympic match and the Davis Cup match were on a hard court. I will throw in one more just for fun... Rafa has finished the year in the TOP TWO a record 13 times.
Excellent !! I added the same comment for all these Davis Cups where he attended so many times for his country, perhaps sacrificing some of his health and personnel career compared to other top players …
As I grew up with this sacred monster, he made me fall in love with the clay and tennis, he will subjectively always be my goat, because he always threw his heart over the obstacle and Like all his fans I wonder if he had had fewer injuries what else he could have done. Long live and other exciting matches for the King of Clay
Rafa's sheer power and resilience is very hard to beat. From his energetic entrance to the arena and throughout the match he maintains amazing level of performance. Also we witness his wonderful sportsmanship in and outside of tennis courts.
Can’t bear to think this is the last year we will watch his wonderful game. Thanks for those epic battles that often kept us up until the wee small hours. Almost 20:years of excitement, sportsmanship and courtesy. Oh, how we will miss him.
I remember getting frustrated watching his matches against Federer back in the 2000s as almost every shot would be to Federer's backhand, and Federer struggled more with the higher backhand's than some of the other one handers. Federer's forehand was such a weapon, and Nadal was so good at keeping it away from it. I wasn't a huge fan of Nadal when he was young due to his style, but he really grew on me because of how humble he was, and arguably has the best mental strength anyone has had in the sport.
Nadal found the remedy for the Federer dominance. He really exploited him once he found out high bounces deep on his backhand with a million topspin was Federers kryptonite.
To ask any more from Rafa is too much however, he knows once he hangs it up thats it and if he wants to play then of course I'm going to watch. I love the guy, how he plays, how gracious, respectful,...everything about the guy. He seems to be of the highest character of anyone with his exposure and influence. Live longest Rafael.
Let's be honest, this man was an absolute monster with a chronic condition that would have made impossible for anyone to play tennis. Without that Nadal would have been the greatest of all times.
It's crazy how time flies. Nadal is amongst the greatest players of all time yet seems like the Djokocult is always trying to diminish him. Can't believe new gen fans forget that this guy was unbeatable when he was peaking
You should not pay much attention to those people most of them dont know any information that was shown in this video, those of us who watched the sport since the day of Sampras and Agassi know who and what Nadal is... especially his prime years when Federer and Nadal rivalry become not just face of tennis but sports in general, 2004-2010 period is the best level of tennis ever seen across all surffices established by both of them, and both ended set bars from eachother, i watched vast majority of their matches from that time frame, NEVER again saw that level of play it was something special.
Yes Federer and Nadal rivalry was legendary. Joker was always a third wheel hanging on the fringe until he elevated his hand to God mode. But Nadal was a beast. Federer was the court maestro who plays with suave and grace. Joker was the cyborg who combines the best of Federer and Nadal.
@@jonfreeman9682 If you watched tennis from 2004-2008 or all the way to 2010 you would know that is not true. He was never on the level those two played, even at his best from 2011-2015 he was never even close to what was seen 2004-2008
@@RealisticAndTrue Wait are you saying Nadal wasn't as good or Joker wasn't as good as the other two? Federer Nadal dominated in 2000s and it wasn't until 2010s when Joker exploded and he has a winning % against Federer and Nadal although just slightly. All three are legendary but Federer game is more graceful while Nadal and Joker are both very physical players and Joker is a contortionist. If Joker keeps it up he could finish his career with 30+ Grand Slams as Nadal is pretty much retired.
I would add that he won 5 Davis Cups for his country, sometimes at the expense of his health, while others were more sticking to their personal careers … that’s a big thing !!… and it gives a big hint about his character !
Seriously, if not for injuries that had plagued Nadal’s career, he would have been far ahead in titles won especially grand slams. To think he has won 22 having participated in fewer tournaments than his rivals Federer and Djokovic is incredible.
@@mainemceachern1521 Minus mureller-weisse syndrome which he was born with, all of his other injuries are his own fault because of his immensely physical playng style. Djokovic has a physical style, but not so physical and he has built his whole life around conditioning his body for it in a way Nadal simply hasn't. Federer never conditioned his body even as well as Nadal but his style was by far the least physical, so he had fewer injuries. Nadal couldn't have won so much without his playing style and that style comes with injuries. The real miracle is that he wasn't frequently getting injured at 30 the way he is now. He held it off for a long time. They all did splendidly.
Novak has won a higher %age of slams he participated in than Nadal. And has had to deal with a lot of injuries and non tennis related factors too. Dullfans crying injury as an excuse for everything when Novak has suffered just as much if not more 😂😂😂
I remembered watching Nadal in his teenage play for the time when he was just an unknown player, I was amazed by the style and fierceness he played. I’ve been a fan of him since then. People will argue who the goat is among big 3. But for me Nadal is that GOAT.
@@naeemulhassan3664 For you Novak fans Novak is goat but no matter how hard you try community is not just abıyt about you guys For me Nadal is goat achieving a lot with more grand Slam missed /less participation you get İt now? Lets agree to disagree
Would love to see a Rublev video about his QF’s and your analysis on how he can overcome it? I think he has like 4 50 win seasons or something crazy like that
He is my personal GOAT, no matter what! I love his dedication, the mental strength and his patience! And I think he has the most beautiful man-legs I have ever seen!
What is personal GOAT??? GOAT should be one with great statistics. There is no opinion on that. Btw Your goat does not own any big record??? GS, 1000s, ATP, YEn1, Weeks @ 1 ????
@@naeemulhassan3664 You must be a Joker-fan! Ha ha ha! Feel free to be fond of him as much as you want and make him your personal GOAT! He can have 3000 titles- I still don't like him!
What's worth pointing out about the backhand is that it was especially good on the run when he would be cornered. Because he is actually right-handed, he was able to use that right hand for redirecting the ball and hit strong passing shots from defensive sliding positions, which was really evident against Federer who often tried to attack his backhand crosscourt when approaching the net.
Exactly ! I remember some points when he really run and delivers cross court passing to impossible angle and you can see his left eye looking sideways like a fish almost backward of his running head 😂 there is one winner like that in USO 2013 final vs Djokovic, 4th set I think, on a crucial point … you think he is beaten but no he snipes a humongous shot 😱 , his opponent in total disbelief …
Nadal's playstyle in terms of movement was just full commitment. He could be off balance, out of position, on the wrong foot, yards from the baseline, and he'll still run a ball down like his life depended on it. It was reckless abandon sometimes, and it did catch up to him later in his career, but he always committed to making the save and the shot, even if it meant putting his body on the line.
I like “ full commitment” It describes him well. His core integrity and innate humanity endeared him to so many. I feel very fortunate to have watched him play and will miss him
Thank you...its easy to talk about numbers but it isn't that simple. How many GS did Rafa miss or retire from cause of injuries & how many months he missed on tour...also of the 4 GS, 3 are played on surfaces suited to Federer & Djokovic. So, despite all this, to make it to 22 GS & other incredible numbers, makes me rank him above the others...
Mental game has to be at the top for me. Nadal is the fiercest competitor to ever play. His intensity underlies everything else, from his physical fitness to his choice of tactics. You see it in the way he runs, the way he hits the ball, etc. Nobody pushes themselves as hard and as consistently. You don't achieve these attributes without an almost pathological level of drive. I wouldn't want to be in Nadal's head when he's on court.
Nadal v Fed matches were the most entertaining to watch. Two very unique styles up against one another. Rafa's insane spin and air time on the ball versus Roger's beautiful backhand and insane precision placement made for wild games. I miss those days. What an era.
Video suggestion: As a younger tennis fan I was able to watch and remember all of the golden era of tennis but I have never seen any older players play like pete sampras andre agasi etc maybe make a similar video about them
rafa achieved the peak of his level in 2010 in my opinion. that year, since the clay court season started, was unplayable. And in spite of the fact he lost that match, he played a great final against Roger at the atp finals. But, besides the results, that year was on another planet, he seemed a god
Nadal was the best defender in my opinion. He needed to be since his serve wasn't blowing anyone off of the court. He adapted his game to his opponents better than others. That's why he was able to overcome Fed and Djokovic on their turf, and nobody was overcoming him on his turf. His clay dominance is obvious to everyone, but watching Wimbledon in 2008 was when he sealed himself as a G.O.A.T for me. Prime Federer losing to Nadal on grass was something to behold. Nadal's defense and will to win won that match. He wasn't the best grass player that year or any other probably, but he won a lot of matches where his defense and unwillingness to give up on points was enough to wear his opponents out. His relentless defense is likely the reason for his injuries, but it is also the reason he was a nemesis on all surfaces. He was also incredibly fast on his feet. All of the stop and go on non-clay surfaces is likely the culprit for his knee problems. He was more than willing to pay the price for his playstyle. He's my G.O.A.T for all of these reasons.
@@naeemulhassan3664 Because you try so hard to justify yourself İf you are so sure of it why Do you try to prove anything stats are there after all. In my list it goes as Novak-Rafa-Roger
Yeah, you said it, this “Guy” is clutch like MJ in BKBall when his team needs him like in Davis Cup and Olympics, no need for “bathroom breaks” at key weak moments or swatting balls at people when frustrated, or giving in when confronted with a whole-hearted give it all opponent like this phenomenon.
I see you took my advice... well done man 👍, i would only dissagree on Nadal prime, moment we could see that Nadal is something special, a hint of his greatness was at Rome 2005 semi-final match against Stepanek where he made in my humble opinion THE best point made on clay surffice i ever seen. But moment he hit his prime was 2006, when he defended his Roland Garros title against the Greatest player of all time at the peak of his power. He was young, injuries were showing but he could handle them, all the way to 2010 which was his best and last season of his prime, after that knee was already gone, NEVER able to recover it to play freely. There was a point durning that time where there was serious question that Nadal might retire from tennis because his knees and going to golf. Durning his prime he set the highest most incredible winning streak on clay surffice in history, he ended other most invincible streaks on other 2 surffices which Federer made. He defended his Roland Garros title against prime Federer 3x in a row, and that last title defence in 2008 again in my humble opinion was one of the 2 best Clay court performances i ever seen, dealing a 6:0 begel to still prime Federer. Other then that you covered everything.... 1 word to describe Nadal? For sure Warrior. Since you took my advice, im looking foward for video of other greats 😊.... Well done.
I do think that with less injuries, he would be the player with the most GC by far. He didn't only miss GC because of injuries but it also take time to fully recover and get the confidence again like before. An example of that 2015 - 2016 when he was losing to everyone and lost 8 or more times in a raw to Novak in those years (even in RG), this influences the h2h between them. I never saw an athlete with that much physical problems performing that well for so long, we were so lucky having the big 3 pushing each other for 15 years.
Many who started watching tennis after Djokovic will not understand Nadal was beating everybody at their prime. They forget he is a few months older than Novak who peaked later Nadal was injured and Federer started going down,
People love to call rafa a clay merchant, like it’s some kind of shade. Remember the time when Agassi and Sampras were the biggest names. Nadal has just as many French Open wins as Sampras has total Grand Slams and has matched Agassi’s 8 Grand Slams on different surfaces. And as for the GOAT debate, tennis doesn’t have an end point so greatest of all time is a misnomer. We’re not going to wake up one day and hear the tennis gods say, tat’s it, we’ve found the GOAT. No more tennis. And there’s probably a kid out there right now (or alcaraz or sinner), practicing who will make this whole debate look silly. So is Nadal the GOAT? Maybe. or is it Djokovic? Federer? Truth is, this whole GOAT debate is just background noise.
For a long time I did not understand how Federer did not end up with the most slams considering his sustainable game style and being able to finish points and matches quick, lessening the risk of injury. I did not factor in that people like Nadal did to his opponents, his presence alone made them shit their pants and then disorientated them with his brutal playstyle. I mean even when he was injured and far from his best he still beat peak Zverev in under 2 sets at RG, that is insane. That's also why his stats on beating top 10 or so is on the low end, people use it as a red mark on his resume, when the reason is he scared his opponents so much, that they were dodging him, I mean who wants to end up destroyed by this guy, extracting chokes, injuries from them. Even for Federer and Djokovic, it took years before they found a way to beat Nadal.
What if we had a fair 3 grand slams like 1 on grass 1 on clay and 1 on hard I think nadal would have been with most grand slams 2 gs on hard is little unfair but it’s fine nadal still has 22
Nadal in his prime was the all court beast. Early injuries prevented him from getting more GS and other ATP titles. Still 14 RG, 12 Godo, 11 Montecarlo, 10 Rome....most dominant player ever to exist. This record is simply unbreakable
IMHO nobody is stressing enough the advantage of being left handed. Obviously that's not a fault, but that massive amount of crosscourt top spin on his opponent's backhand helped him a lot to build easy points. Also, he could recover more easily against right-handed inside-out forehands, and he could slice his serve away on advantage points. He was a massive competitor, but first of all he had the techical characteristics to destroy almost everybody's game. I'm not so sure he could have achieved a similar success being right handed.
Tito Toni knew it, and encouraged Rafa, who is naturally right handed, to play with the left. The immense effort by Nadal to be that good with his left hand is the basis of his success.
I wish we could observe an alternate universe where Nadal played football instead of tennis. I'm sure he'd be incredible. It would be fun to watch his physicality and explosiveness in football
I met Rafa outside the circuit (very lucky events). I have followed tennis since Agassi, Sampras, etc; when I first saw Rafa (first encounter with Federer in Miami), my heart stopped; his game, force, and mental toughness were WOW. How would I call him? A Gladiator. He's among the youngest to win the career slam, meaning he's great on every surface. And an absolute GOD on clay. His game is not Federer's elegant; it's brutal. And I love it. What makes me support and follow him to the end of the earth, including Australia, is his mental toughness. When I met him, I knew I couldn't tell him how much I admire and respect the person and tennis player he is, so I wrote a letter, as I also had to make tough decisions in my life and have a never-die attitude, and he has been for me an inspiration like no other. The numbers are impressive, but for me, win or lose (I saw him winning the US Open and many Master 1000 tournaments and will be at RG for his last appearance this year), he will remain the most competitive athlete ever. I don't care about the GOAT argument; I feel lucky to have seen him play in an era where the other 2 players (Roger and Djokovic) were at their best. They rewrote the history of tennis together. I will always enjoy watching the Federal Rivalry; there was something very peculiar in those matches.< And I'm glad they managed to have a good relationship outside the court. Djokovic is a great champion but for reasons I won't state here (no, not just my Covid ideas) is way below Rafa and Roger. And I'm talking about
Rafa its not a lost maybe you lost the match but never your greatness. Nothing change you are still the king of clay. After this 4th match which you still show you can since claynis your master you can take a rest for The next italian open the tournaments you won 10 times. Another history in your record. The last m a tch in madrid became emotional because of the great re c eption extended to you by t b e people from day one you enter the c ourt until your farewell. The honors, tribute, stsnding ovation, cheers, never ending applause. Family , friends and people in tears. For sure will break anyo nes heart. Rafa knows that is his last perform a nce in his home country. Well deserved to re c eived such reception and importance for you rafanadal
Rafa has never been 100% throughout his career, which makes one think, what his already achieved. It's STUPID!!! No player in history has had Rafas comebacks, whether it was dodgy knees, ribs, ankles, fingers, this man was on crutches!!! Can you honestly admit any other player would have this guys records with all that baggage. True meaning of the word gladiator.
Considered by many to be the toughest surface to play on ( Clay ) he not only dominated the RG but also the ATP open titles during his time , along with injuries . 14 slams on a Clay surface ain't no joke . Djokovic and Federer are better all surface players but you cannot look past what Nadal did at RGs
Still would like to see him talk about his prime del potro was up there with murray and has insane records for a one slam winner etc , He deserves some respect
@@huzcer 2008 ? 2009 ? 2012 ? 2013 ? 2018 ? That's five years where he was top ten level player in a very tough era & in 2009 - 2013 - 2018 he ended in the top four / five that's hardly " two good seasons " idk about calling a player with top ten wins against world number one ( Most in the open era without being number one himself ) & Most wins against the big three outside of murray having only " two good seasons "
I always hated nadal because i liked federer, but after years passed i truly understood that he was an amazing player. So total respect for him. I am watching all his games this season 🙏🙏
My two cents on the greatest ever debate, so post wooden rackets … Nadal - best on clay Djokovic - best on hard courts Sampras - best on old grass New grass - Djokovic/Federer equally.
@@trongtong7793 I don’t know, ATP sets the rules and all is geared towards his style of play, can’t even find an old grass tournament. Not Federer but Nadal will always be the one that skews the goat debate because of sheer dominance on clay. Plus Federer for me gets a slight pass, he’s 5 years older than Nadal/Djokovic.
I disagree with the video. Rafa had a really good backhand and used it to end points regularly. He was really good at just out of nowhere flatten his backhand cross court or down the line for a winner. It was almost as lethal as his forehand.
Jamaican/German player Dustin Brown has a 2-0 winning record against Nadal. His flat powerful strokes and height matched up well against Rafa and Stan on grass especially.
A healthy rafa is almost an unbeatable rafa, if he would go for every ball when he is not a hundred percent, he would be all over the court if he's healthy. Alas, even at the start of his career many analysts has feared that because he plays the way he does that his body may give up too early so to be able to see him play for so long is such a blessing.
I'm a Rafa fan, but I can concede that Djokovic is the GOAT. Anyone can make any amount of arguments, but Novak has all the numbers and titles and weeks at number 1, all of it. I'd still much rather watch prime Rafa. Not to take anything away from either Novak or Roger, I just loved prime Rafa's game.
As great as Rafa’s career was, he came at the right time where the majority of clay court players were either retired, on their way out, or dealt with injuries. Timing is such an important part. I will say the same thing for Federer’s grass court career and his stats from 2003-2007 where he took advantage of a weak top 5 and top 10. I’m surprised you didn’t bring up the lack of true clay courters.
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What he did in 2022 is testimony to his power. Guy did surgery and had no preseason training and beats Medvedev who had beaten Djokovic in US Open in that comeback win. Then doesn't lose any games leading up to French open. Wins the French (beats Djokovic) as well then injuries again but still went to semis of Wimbledon then wins his game and defaulted (idk if he would've beaten Kyrgios but he was a fav) amazing. My Goat.
Novak couldn't defend AO title that year, and you know it.
With injuries arguably the bes, without? no discussion
The guy missed 16 grandslams due to injuries, that's 4 years off his career and still managed all those GSlams.
Injury is of course to be accounted for the greatness of a player, but yeah, Nadal missed a lot of chances. He was too accomplished as a player that people ignored the fact he might've accomplished more.
THat's cause he developed such an inefficient body tear down style. Duh. I guess you don't play tennis huh?
@@drummersinger5324 who you speaking to?
@@drummersinger5324 What is your evidence the injuries were predicated on style? He has a congenital foot issue, Muller-Weiss Syndrome that can precipitate other injuries. I don't think it is possible to win 22 majors with an inefficient style, let alone 14 majors on the most laborious of surfaces. The truth is he was more predisposed to injuries than his main rivals and it is unequivocal that this restricted his major haul. He would have won many more and had far more weeks at #1. This bothers people but is the truth.
@@IntelliaMarketing The foot issue definitely hampered his health but to say his style didn't impact his health is disingenuous. Obviously there's going to be more wear and tear if you run around like a madman after every ball. In part, he has to take some accountability for his health issues. It's the same like an NFL player being super physical and a heavy hitter, eventually you will wear down.
16:03 I would add these two facts to your list of sensational Rafa career achievements...
1. Rafa is probably the greatest Davis Cup player of all time. He is 29-1 in Davis Cup singles - and his only loss was his very first match on February 6th of 2004 at age 17. He has had 29 consecutive singles wins over the rest of his career. Rafa and Feliciano Lopez lost a Davis Cup doubles match (7-9 in the 5th set) on September 24th, 2005. Rafa has won EVERY Davis Cup match that he has played since that match. From September 25th, 2005 through today (February 18th, 2024)... Rafa is 25-0 in singles and 7-0 in doubles. He led Spain to FIVE Davis Cup wins.
2. Rafa has dominated his greatest rivals at the sport's biggest tournaments. His record vs. Novak at the Grand Slams is 11-7 (.611) and his record vs. Roger is 10-4 (.714).
Rafa is 21-11 vs. his two great rivals in Grand Slam matches (.656 W%).
Novak is 18-17 vs. his two great rivals in GS matches (.514 W%). Novak is 11-6 vs. Roger and 7-11 vs. Rafa.
Roger is 10-21 vs. his two great rivals in GS matches (.323 W%). Roger is 4-10 vs. Rafa and 6-11 vs. Novak.
If we add the next biggest match that Rafa and Novak played (the Olympics) Rafa is 12-7 vs. Novak (.632 W%).
Rafa also beat Novak in their only meeting in Davis Cup play (which I consider to be their next biggest match) which puts Rafa up 13-7 (.650 W%) in their 20 biggest matches.
Btw... both the Olympic match and the Davis Cup match were on a hard court.
I will throw in one more just for fun... Rafa has finished the year in the TOP TWO a record 13 times.
Excellent !! I added the same comment for all these Davis Cups where he attended so many times for his country, perhaps sacrificing some of his health and personnel career compared to other top players …
Nice stats, I didn’t know them
There is one more fact about Rafa that people generally miss out. He never broke a racquet.
As I grew up with this sacred monster, he made me fall in love with the clay and tennis, he will subjectively always be my goat, because he always threw his heart over the obstacle and Like all his fans I wonder if he had had fewer injuries what else he could have done. Long live and other exciting matches for the King of Clay
Clay...LOL. The most boring surface for tennis possible much?
@@drummersinger5324 Do you know that every person is different or have you ever heard of subjectivity? LOL
@@lilraf5540 Yes of course. Duh much? Clay specialist tennis players bore me. Especially two handed backhand weirdos like Nadal.
@@drummersinger5324 It's ok man, maybe you prefer hard courts or grass court or other player's style... totally fair
@@lilraf5540 Yes I certainly do prefer fast courts. They require much deeper athleticism IMO.
14 French Opens & a 81 matches winning streak!! That is just insane.
Rafa's sheer power and resilience is very hard to beat. From his energetic entrance to the arena and throughout the match he maintains amazing level of performance. Also we witness his wonderful sportsmanship in and outside of tennis courts.
Can’t bear to think this is the last year we will watch his wonderful game. Thanks for those epic battles that often kept us up until the wee small hours. Almost 20:years of excitement, sportsmanship and courtesy. Oh, how we will miss him.
Prime Rafa at Roland Garros is the hardest player to beat of all time
Behave yourself. Nadal would have mauled him on the clay.
@@MarkFayle😂😂😂😂 this comment made me laugh really hard, keep dreaming man…
@@frank_heral5502 borg himself admitted somewhere that Rafa would have beaten him:))
One of the man who changed tennis for millions of his fans like me|
and true worrior
Playing Nadal at Roland Garros is one of the toughest asks in all of sport. An absolute legend.
I remember getting frustrated watching his matches against Federer back in the 2000s as almost every shot would be to Federer's backhand, and Federer struggled more with the higher backhand's than some of the other one handers. Federer's forehand was such a weapon, and Nadal was so good at keeping it away from it. I wasn't a huge fan of Nadal when he was young due to his style, but he really grew on me because of how humble he was, and arguably has the best mental strength anyone has had in the sport.
Federer struggled with a lefty with such insane spin it was hard to return with a single backhand.
Djoko is highest level in Tennis you fool
It's cause Nadal is a farm animal working brain. No high IQ there
His humility is why he beats ND to the GOAT, For me. Can't stand ND full stop
Nadal found the remedy for the Federer dominance. He really exploited him once he found out high bounces deep on his backhand with a million topspin was Federers kryptonite.
To ask any more from Rafa is too much however, he knows once he hangs it up thats it and if he wants to play then of course I'm going to watch. I love the guy, how he plays, how gracious, respectful,...everything about the guy. He seems to be of the highest character of anyone with his exposure and influence. Live longest Rafael.
A champion's Champion!!
Let's be honest, this man was an absolute monster with a chronic condition that would have made impossible for anyone to play tennis. Without that Nadal would have been the greatest of all times.
It's crazy how time flies. Nadal is amongst the greatest players of all time yet seems like the Djokocult is always trying to diminish him. Can't believe new gen fans forget that this guy was unbeatable when he was peaking
You should not pay much attention to those people most of them dont know any information that was shown in this video, those of us who watched the sport since the day of Sampras and Agassi know who and what Nadal is... especially his prime years when Federer and Nadal rivalry become not just face of tennis but sports in general, 2004-2010 period is the best level of tennis ever seen across all surffices established by both of them, and both ended set bars from eachother, i watched vast majority of their matches from that time frame, NEVER again saw that level of play it was something special.
Yes Federer and Nadal rivalry was legendary. Joker was always a third wheel hanging on the fringe until he elevated his hand to God mode. But Nadal was a beast. Federer was the court maestro who plays with suave and grace. Joker was the cyborg who combines the best of Federer and Nadal.
@@jonfreeman9682 If you watched tennis from 2004-2008 or all the way to 2010 you would know that is not true. He was never on the level those two played, even at his best from 2011-2015 he was never even close to what was seen 2004-2008
Sand Sheikh Rafa Al Bin Saudal was a monster on clay. Now he just takes money from monsters.
@@RealisticAndTrue Wait are you saying Nadal wasn't as good or Joker wasn't as good as the other two? Federer Nadal dominated in 2000s and it wasn't until 2010s when Joker exploded and he has a winning % against Federer and Nadal although just slightly. All three are legendary but Federer game is more graceful while Nadal and Joker are both very physical players and Joker is a contortionist. If Joker keeps it up he could finish his career with 30+ Grand Slams as Nadal is pretty much retired.
I would add that he won 5 Davis Cups for his country, sometimes at the expense of his health, while others were more sticking to their personal careers … that’s a big thing !!… and it gives a big hint about his character !
Seriously, if not for injuries that had plagued Nadal’s career, he would have been far ahead in titles won especially grand slams. To think he has won 22 having participated in fewer tournaments than his rivals Federer and Djokovic is incredible.
*Far fewer tournaments. Nadal’s achievements are legendary.
Absolutely!! 👍
@@mainemceachern1521 Minus mureller-weisse syndrome which he was born with, all of his other injuries are his own fault because of his immensely physical playng style. Djokovic has a physical style, but not so physical and he has built his whole life around conditioning his body for it in a way Nadal simply hasn't. Federer never conditioned his body even as well as Nadal but his style was by far the least physical, so he had fewer injuries. Nadal couldn't have won so much without his playing style and that style comes with injuries. The real miracle is that he wasn't frequently getting injured at 30 the way he is now. He held it off for a long time. They all did splendidly.
@@cyrusatanil You fault a professional athlete for and blame his injuries on his "playing style"? That's an interesting take.
Novak has won a higher %age of slams he participated in than Nadal. And has had to deal with a lot of injuries and non tennis related factors too. Dullfans crying injury as an excuse for everything when Novak has suffered just as much if not more 😂😂😂
Nadal on clay is the highest level of tennis
Close, 2008 Roland Garros is for sure one of the 2 best performances on clay ever.
Sand Sheikh Rafa Al Bin Saudal was a monster on clay. Now he just takes money from monsters.
@@huzcerno bigger monsters than western leaders who have killed millions in recent times
Djoko is highest level in Tennis you fool
You don't even play and thus can't form a worthy opinion.
Love and respect Nadal all the time!
He is the greatest gladiator the sport has ever seen.Period
Ugliest styled of all time you mean?
@@drummersinger5324 owns djokovic like a father owns his son
@@xdxxxxddd Federer sure did and would still.
@@xdxxxxdddcalm down kid 😂😂
@@xdxxxxddd 24 400+ 71, ooooo yes!
I remembered watching Nadal in his teenage play for the time when he was just an unknown player, I was amazed by the style and fierceness he played. I’ve been a fan of him since then. People will argue who the goat is among big 3. But for me Nadal is that GOAT.
For you its GOAT, As per stats he is not. Now Cry Cry
@@naeemulhassan3664lmao only you cry man l seen you below multiple comments and all Same things😂😂
@Mythos189 Do you have anything to defend your idol. I suppose not just shut up
@@naeemulhassan3664 lm not the one who is trying to prove his point mate
Look at yourself 🤣
@@naeemulhassan3664 For you Novak fans Novak is goat but no matter how hard you try community is not just abıyt about you guys
For me Nadal is goat achieving a lot with more grand Slam missed /less participation you get İt now?
Lets agree to disagree
Would love to see a Rublev video about his QF’s and your analysis on how he can overcome it? I think he has like 4 50 win seasons or something crazy like that
He is my personal GOAT, no matter what! I love his dedication, the mental strength and his patience! And I think he has the most beautiful man-legs I have ever seen!
If only he had a man bun to go with his man legs
Weirdo
What is personal GOAT??? GOAT should be one with great statistics. There is no opinion on that. Btw Your goat does not own any big record??? GS, 1000s, ATP, YEn1, Weeks @ 1 ????
@@naeemulhassan3664 You must be a Joker-fan! Ha ha ha! Feel free to be fond of him as much as you want and make him your personal GOAT! He can have 3000 titles- I still don't like him!
@@alebhard your liking, disliking doesn't change the fact that Novak Djokovic is the GOAT.
What's worth pointing out about the backhand is that it was especially good on the run when he would be cornered. Because he is actually right-handed, he was able to use that right hand for redirecting the ball and hit strong passing shots from defensive sliding positions, which was really evident against Federer who often tried to attack his backhand crosscourt when approaching the net.
Exactly ! I remember some points when he really run and delivers cross court passing to impossible angle and you can see his left eye looking sideways like a fish almost backward of his running head 😂 there is one winner like that in USO 2013 final vs Djokovic, 4th set I think, on a crucial point … you think he is beaten but no he snipes a humongous shot 😱 , his opponent in total disbelief …
See the ending cross court backhand passing shot of that point here at 19:00
ruclips.net/video/y-DXMP93dD0/видео.htmlsi=X5hdUZ3rVA_jZHFV
GOAT!! Combine all and that is what you get period❤ 🇪🇦👑🎾🐐
If i discribe rafa in one word he is gladiator of tennis
Nadal's playstyle in terms of movement was just full commitment. He could be off balance, out of position, on the wrong foot, yards from the baseline, and he'll still run a ball down like his life depended on it. It was reckless abandon sometimes, and it did catch up to him later in his career, but he always committed to making the save and the shot, even if it meant putting his body on the line.
I like “ full commitment” It describes him well. His core integrity and innate humanity endeared him to so many. I feel very fortunate to have watched him play and will miss him
Great video. Amazing all time great player. I don't see him winning another Slam though, the competitipn is too fierce now.
VICTORY BELONGS TO THE MOST TENACIOUS 🏆🎾🔥
Thank you...its easy to talk about numbers but it isn't that simple. How many GS did Rafa miss or retire from cause of injuries & how many months he missed on tour...also of the 4 GS, 3 are played on surfaces suited to Federer & Djokovic. So, despite all this, to make it to 22 GS & other incredible numbers, makes me rank him above the others...
Mental game has to be at the top for me. Nadal is the fiercest competitor to ever play. His intensity underlies everything else, from his physical fitness to his choice of tactics. You see it in the way he runs, the way he hits the ball, etc. Nobody pushes themselves as hard and as consistently. You don't achieve these attributes without an almost pathological level of drive. I wouldn't want to be in Nadal's head when he's on court.
King of Clay...just an exciting player to watch on any surface...hifted n determined
Nadal v Fed matches were the most entertaining to watch. Two very unique styles up against one another. Rafa's insane spin and air time on the ball versus Roger's beautiful backhand and insane precision placement made for wild games. I miss those days. What an era.
Video suggestion: As a younger tennis fan I was able to watch and remember all of the golden era of tennis but I have never seen any older players play like pete sampras andre agasi etc maybe make a similar video about them
He is a warrior, a Gladiator on court and a pure gentleman off court...simply the best....❤❤❤
Fantastic analysis, lovely video
rafa achieved the peak of his level in 2010 in my opinion. that year, since the clay court season started, was unplayable. And in spite of the fact he lost that match, he played a great final against Roger at the atp finals. But, besides the results, that year was on another planet, he seemed a god
Nadal was the best defender in my opinion. He needed to be since his serve wasn't blowing anyone off of the court. He adapted his game to his opponents better than others. That's why he was able to overcome Fed and Djokovic on their turf, and nobody was overcoming him on his turf. His clay dominance is obvious to everyone, but watching Wimbledon in 2008 was when he sealed himself as a G.O.A.T for me. Prime Federer losing to Nadal on grass was something to behold. Nadal's defense and will to win won that match. He wasn't the best grass player that year or any other probably, but he won a lot of matches where his defense and unwillingness to give up on points was enough to wear his opponents out.
His relentless defense is likely the reason for his injuries, but it is also the reason he was a nemesis on all surfaces. He was also incredibly fast on his feet. All of the stop and go on non-clay surfaces is likely the culprit for his knee problems. He was more than willing to pay the price for his playstyle. He's my G.O.A.T for all of these reasons.
hope he comes back and has a go at french open and maybe even win it
Rafael Nadal N01 gentilman honesty talented player in the world
The spanish minotaur ❤ thanks for fantastic analysis rafa fan through and through
he is.. Rafael Nadal, myyy GOAT
For you its GOAT, As per stats he is not. Now Cry Cry
@@naeemulhassan3664again crying😂😂
@Mythos189 No I don't have to cry, because my idol has record 24 GS, record 40 1000 Masters, record Weeks @ 1.
Why do I have to cry buddy.
@@naeemulhassan3664 Because you try so hard to justify yourself İf you are so sure of it why Do you try to prove anything stats are there after all.
In my list it goes as
Novak-Rafa-Roger
@@Mythos189 Thanks god, you are a sensible person. Not a blind follower.
Yeah, you said it, this “Guy” is clutch like MJ in BKBall when his team needs him like in Davis Cup and Olympics, no need for “bathroom breaks” at key weak moments or swatting balls at people when frustrated, or giving in when confronted with a whole-hearted give it all opponent like this phenomenon.
his single slam title record (FO) will never be beaten (in the mens)
As a Djokovic countryman i said hats down Rafa is the best tennis player in history so far,number of titles and grand slams are just numbers.
Foolish comment. If GS and titles doesnot matter then I claim I am the Greatest of all time. Blind followers
I see you took my advice... well done man 👍, i would only dissagree on Nadal prime, moment we could see that Nadal is something special, a hint of his greatness was at Rome 2005 semi-final match against Stepanek where he made in my humble opinion THE best point made on clay surffice i ever seen. But moment he hit his prime was 2006, when he defended his Roland Garros title against the Greatest player of all time at the peak of his power. He was young, injuries were showing but he could handle them, all the way to 2010 which was his best and last season of his prime, after that knee was already gone, NEVER able to recover it to play freely. There was a point durning that time where there was serious question that Nadal might retire from tennis because his knees and going to golf. Durning his prime he set the highest most incredible winning streak on clay surffice in history, he ended other most invincible streaks on other 2 surffices which Federer made. He defended his Roland Garros title against prime Federer 3x in a row, and that last title defence in 2008 again in my humble opinion was one of the 2 best Clay court performances i ever seen, dealing a 6:0 begel to still prime Federer. Other then that you covered everything.... 1 word to describe Nadal? For sure Warrior. Since you took my advice, im looking foward for video of other greats 😊.... Well done.
Nadal prime on clay is more difficult to beat that any other player (big 3 included) on whatever the surface you consider... thats a fact
I do think that with less injuries, he would be the player with the most GC by far. He didn't only miss GC because of injuries but it also take time to fully recover and get the confidence again like before. An example of that 2015 - 2016 when he was losing to everyone and lost 8 or more times in a raw to Novak in those years (even in RG), this influences the h2h between them.
I never saw an athlete with that much physical problems performing that well for so long, we were so lucky having the big 3 pushing each other for 15 years.
Many who started watching tennis after Djokovic will not understand Nadal was beating everybody at their prime. They forget he is a few months older than Novak who peaked later Nadal was injured and Federer started going down,
Always great content here !
People love to call rafa a clay merchant, like it’s some kind of shade. Remember the time when Agassi and Sampras were the biggest names. Nadal has just as many French Open wins as Sampras has total Grand Slams and has matched Agassi’s 8 Grand Slams on different surfaces. And as for the GOAT debate, tennis doesn’t have an end point so greatest of all time is a misnomer. We’re not going to wake up one day and hear the tennis gods say, tat’s it, we’ve found the GOAT. No more tennis.
And there’s probably a kid out there right now (or alcaraz or sinner), practicing who will make this whole debate look silly.
So is Nadal the GOAT? Maybe. or is it Djokovic? Federer? Truth is, this whole GOAT debate is just background noise.
Any minute in which we get to watch him play it's a gift from God
For a long time I did not understand how Federer did not end up with the most slams considering his sustainable game style and being able to finish points and matches quick, lessening the risk of injury.
I did not factor in that people like Nadal did to his opponents, his presence alone made them shit their pants and then disorientated them with his brutal playstyle. I mean even when he was injured and far from his best he still beat peak Zverev in under 2 sets at RG, that is insane. That's also why his stats on beating top 10 or so is on the low end, people use it as a red mark on his resume, when the reason is he scared his opponents so much, that they were dodging him, I mean who wants to end up destroyed by this guy, extracting chokes, injuries from them. Even for Federer and Djokovic, it took years before they found a way to beat Nadal.
For me Nadal at his peak on clay was the absolute highest level of tennis ever.
What if we had a fair 3 grand slams like 1 on grass 1 on clay and 1 on hard I think nadal would have been with most grand slams 2 gs on hard is little unfair but it’s fine nadal still has 22
Nadal in his prime was the all court beast. Early injuries prevented him from getting more GS and other ATP titles. Still 14 RG, 12 Godo, 11 Montecarlo, 10 Rome....most dominant player ever to exist. This record is simply unbreakable
IMHO nobody is stressing enough the advantage of being left handed. Obviously that's not a fault, but that massive amount of crosscourt top spin on his opponent's backhand helped him a lot to build easy points. Also, he could recover more easily against right-handed inside-out forehands, and he could slice his serve away on advantage points. He was a massive competitor, but first of all he had the techical characteristics to destroy almost everybody's game. I'm not so sure he could have achieved a similar success being right handed.
Tito Toni knew it, and encouraged Rafa, who is naturally right handed, to play with the left. The immense effort by Nadal to be that good with his left hand is the basis of his success.
I wish we could observe an alternate universe where Nadal played football instead of tennis. I'm sure he'd be incredible. It would be fun to watch his physicality and explosiveness in football
Rafael Nadal is the greatest tennis played that ever touched a racket.
Period.
I met Rafa outside the circuit (very lucky events). I have followed tennis since Agassi, Sampras, etc; when I first saw Rafa (first encounter with Federer in Miami), my heart stopped; his game, force, and mental toughness were WOW. How would I call him? A Gladiator. He's among the youngest to win the career slam, meaning he's great on every surface. And an absolute GOD on clay. His game is not Federer's elegant; it's brutal. And I love it. What makes me support and follow him to the end of the earth, including Australia, is his mental toughness. When I met him, I knew I couldn't tell him how much I admire and respect the person and tennis player he is, so I wrote a letter, as I also had to make tough decisions in my life and have a never-die attitude, and he has been for me an inspiration like no other. The numbers are impressive, but for me, win or lose (I saw him winning the US Open and many Master 1000 tournaments and will be at RG for his last appearance this year), he will remain the most competitive athlete ever. I don't care about the GOAT argument; I feel lucky to have seen him play in an era where the other 2 players (Roger and Djokovic) were at their best. They rewrote the history of tennis together. I will always enjoy watching the Federal Rivalry; there was something very peculiar in those matches.< And I'm glad they managed to have a good relationship outside the court. Djokovic is a great champion but for reasons I won't state here (no, not just my Covid ideas) is way below Rafa and Roger. And I'm talking about
Prime nadal is the goat no one can beat him
Nice hitting on the Hudson River park courts.
Rafa its not a lost maybe you lost the match but never your greatness. Nothing change you are still the king of clay. After this 4th match which you still show you can since claynis your master you can take a rest for
The next italian open the tournaments you won 10 times. Another history in your record. The last m a tch in madrid became emotional because of the great re c eption extended to you by t b e people from day one you enter the c ourt until your farewell. The honors, tribute, stsnding ovation, cheers, never ending applause. Family , friends and people in tears. For sure will break anyo nes heart. Rafa knows that is his last perform a nce in his home country. Well deserved to re c eived such reception and importance for you rafanadal
Rafa has never been 100% throughout his career, which makes one think, what his already achieved. It's STUPID!!! No player in history has had Rafas comebacks, whether it was dodgy knees, ribs, ankles, fingers, this man was on crutches!!! Can you honestly admit any other player would have this guys records with all that baggage. True meaning of the word gladiator.
8:00 totally underrated
Intense, gladiator, exciting to watch, human, sweet, charming, integrity, thoughtful, innate emotional intelligence, grounded
Considered by many to be the toughest surface to play on ( Clay ) he not only dominated the RG but also the ATP open titles during his time , along with injuries . 14 slams on a Clay surface ain't no joke . Djokovic and Federer are better all surface players but you cannot look past what Nadal did at RGs
He hates losing more than winning, Rafa the nemesis.
Can you please make a video on the very underrated juan martin del potro
He was not under-rated. Just mostly injured.
Still would like to see him talk about his prime del potro was up there with murray and has insane records for a one slam winner etc , He deserves some respect
@@rockleepowerofyouth he was respected as a player but literally only had 2 decent seasons in his career.
@@huzcer 2008 ? 2009 ? 2012 ? 2013 ? 2018 ? That's five years where he was top ten level player in a very tough era & in 2009 - 2013 - 2018 he ended in the top four / five that's hardly " two good seasons " idk about calling a player with top ten wins against world number one ( Most in the open era without being number one himself ) & Most wins against the big three outside of murray having only " two good seasons "
@@rockleepowerofyouth he made a slam final 2 years in his career. very good player obviously but heavily impacted by injuries as we all know.
PhenomeNadal ❤️🔥
I always hated nadal because i liked federer, but after years passed i truly understood that he was an amazing player. So total respect for him. I am watching all his games this season 🙏🙏
Consumate Analysis ❤️
still my fav player
The best ever
My two cents on the greatest ever debate, so post wooden rackets …
Nadal - best on clay
Djokovic - best on hard courts
Sampras - best on old grass
New grass - Djokovic/Federer equally.
Added: Overall best: Djoker.
@@trongtong7793 I don’t know, ATP sets the rules and all is geared towards his style of play, can’t even find an old grass tournament. Not Federer but Nadal will always be the one that skews the goat debate because of sheer dominance on clay. Plus Federer for me gets a slight pass, he’s 5 years older than Nadal/Djokovic.
Federer won one WB more than Djokovic, more grass tournaments and he has better w/l %.
Who’s here after he announced his retirement?
Even if he's 45 and walking on 1 leg, I won't bet against Nadal on clay.
Wasn’t Nadal also year end #1 in 2017 and 2019?
Nadal is the goat. While other top players only had one rival during their life time, Nadal had 2.
Nadal is/was a raging bull. There was never supposed to be a “pretty” aspect to his game. He’s always focused on grinding.
His movement is "a mobile warrior"
Keep it up !
Always!
Nadal has lost 5 years of his career, most of it in his prime years....5 years! What he has achieved can not be described.
I disagree with the video. Rafa had a really good backhand and used it to end points regularly.
He was really good at just out of nowhere flatten his backhand cross court or down the line for a winner. It was almost as lethal as his forehand.
Real tennis warrior second goat behind Federer an novak Third
Jamaican/German player Dustin Brown has a 2-0 winning record against Nadal. His flat powerful strokes and height matched up well against Rafa and Stan on grass especially.
Movement like a jaguar.
A healthy rafa is almost an unbeatable rafa, if he would go for every ball when he is not a hundred percent, he would be all over the court if he's healthy. Alas, even at the start of his career many analysts has feared that because he plays the way he does that his body may give up too early so to be able to see him play for so long is such a blessing.
People don't talk about Nadal ? He is literally one of the 3 people that tennis is all about the last 15 years at least
Prime Nadal could not have come from a worse time from a career perspective. Poor guy always was the second best basically every year.
Nadal is the GOAT.
He's not but he is the Saudi Arabia Ambassador for Tennis!
@@huzcer Lol you´ve replied to half of the comments with your toxic BS. Get a life
@@huzcer WOOOO NADAL
@@yolurks9577 it's Sheihk Raf-al Bin Nad-al Saudal now to give him his proper title!
GOAT of What?? Fake Injuries?? Novak own all the records??? Cry baby cry
title must be why tenis players feared playing nadal in clay !!!!!
People only fear nadal in french open only!! he was the master on clay and he was the fastest player on clay!!!
Cool !
I'm a Rafa fan, but I can concede that Djokovic is the GOAT. Anyone can make any amount of arguments, but Novak has all the numbers and titles and weeks at number 1, all of it. I'd still much rather watch prime Rafa. Not to take anything away from either Novak or Roger, I just loved prime Rafa's game.
Nonsense.
When both were in their prime Nadal was better.
They all had their primes at different points but to me Nadal on clay was the highest peak in tennis ever.
As great as Rafa’s career was, he came at the right time where the majority of clay court players were either retired, on their way out, or dealt with injuries. Timing is such an important part. I will say the same thing for Federer’s grass court career and his stats from 2003-2007 where he took advantage of a weak top 5 and top 10. I’m surprised you didn’t bring up the lack of true clay courters.
Like MJ and LBJ who is the GOAT? LBJ`s lots statistcs are better than MJ, bt MJ is still the goat..........NADAL is THE GOAT definitely..........
God
2006 Fed & 2011 Novak were better