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Rafael Nadal completed 1,000 ATP match wins on Wednesday, with a hard-fought win over fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the Paris Masters second round. Nadal has become only the fourth player in the history of the sport to achieve that feat, after Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl.
The Spaniard has often been described as the mentally toughest competitor in the history of the sport. And his compatriots Albert Costa, Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Tommy Robredo, David Ferrer, Roberto Bautista Agut and Marc Lopez reinforced that idea in a recent interaction with the ATP.
Recalling their first meeting at Manacor in 2003, former French Open champion Albert Costa claimed that Nadal's concentration and ability to focus stood out even when he was just taking his first steps in the professional circuit
"His concentration was what stood out to me. From the first point until the last, he was 100% focused. It was incredible that being so young he was able to play every point with the same intensity,” Costa said.
Carlos Moya, a player that Rafael Nadal grew up idolizing and who is now part of the coaching team of the Spaniard, knew that he would go on to become a great player after their first meeting in 2003 - which Nadal won.
“When he beat me he was very shy, very nervous and he told me he was sorry. I also understood that it would be the first of many times he would beat me. I already knew him and I knew he was going to be a great player," Moya said.
Former World No. 3 David Ferrer believes that Nadal's ability to keep calm and to constantly look for solutions is what sets him apart from his peers.
“You know that he will make you play until the final point. Rafa is mentally the best there has ever been. I can’t speak of other players I didn’t play with, but of the ones I’ve seen, there is no equal. I’ve never seen him lose his head, I’ve never seen a match in which you don’t have to beat Rafa right up to the last point. That says a lot about him, because he is the best in history in terms of preparation, mentality and never giving up. He always looks for a solution,” Ferrer said.
The main difference compared to Djokovic or Federer is the intensity with which Rafael Nadal always hits the ball: Tommy Robredo
Former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who defeated Rafael Nadal twice in nine career meetings, highlighted Rafael Nadal's intensity and never-say-die attitude as key components to his success.
“You know that he’s not going to give up on any point, the intensity with which he’s going to play every single point of the match and that mentally he’s not going to give up at any point. They are the three most uncomfortable things you can find in an opponent,” Ferrero said.
Tommy Robredo meanwhile highlighted the spin and acceleration on Rafael Nadal's shots as the reason he is so difficult to play against, along with his unswerving intensity.
“The main difference compared to [Novak] Djokovic or [Roger] Federer is the intensity with which Rafa always hits the ball. It bounces a lot, with great acceleration and that means you are always uncomfortable. That ball Rafa hits means that, even if you are in the right place, it is very difficult to control it and hit it where you want. He has the ability to make you play awkwardly at any time," Robredo said.
Roberto Bautista Agut, who is currently the No. 2 ranked Spaniard in the world behind Rafael Nadal, talked about his countryman's ability to not rest on his past achievements. That was especially evident during Nadal's 13th Roland Garros triumph last month, according to the World No. 13.
“I was fascinated to see how he arrived there (in Paris) this year, he created his plan, honed his game and the final ended as always, claiming number 13. I think that his ability to know how to start each year like the last one didn’t happen is out of this world,” Bautista Agut said.
Marc Lopez, one of Rafael Nadal's close friends and former doubles partner with whom he won the 2016 Olympic doubles medal, stated that Rafael Nadal's humility and open-mindedness make him a special champion.
"I’m lucky to have a superstar beside me, I know I have the best player possible. It gives you peace of mind, confidence, he always supports you on bad days and tries to help during difficult moments. Rafael Nadal is also someone who, although he is so much better than me, accepts that I may say things to him that I see he could improve on," Lopez said.
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