Rafael Nadal is a disgrace to tennis. His macho show off meanness on the court is sickening. All his winning is based on tennis in Spain and other European clay courts. His off court nice guy image is easy to see through- the phony smiles.
Djokovic and Federer have more class in their little fingers than the sullen lefty from Spain.
During this year's epic US Open final between Rafa and Medvedev the spectators were chanting "Rafa! Rafa!!" During the post match interview the first thing Rafa said was he wanted to thank the spectators for their support in helping him get to the finish line. If that isn't class I don't what is. Rafa is my favorite tennis player and I hope he has more success in 2020. It's a joy to watch him. He is relentless.
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We have been privileged to watch the three greatest men's tennis champions in history playing at the same time and so often against each other. It's unlikely we'll ever see this again.
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Maybe this will make Federer dig a little deeper.
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I love Federer but Laver Cup is misguided and only exists because of Federer. Nobody will play it after he retires. I don't think he should have done it.
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It should be possible to negotiate moving the Laver Cup to the start of the professional tennis season. It could be a great sendoff event.
This would further open up a period in the calendar, mid-September, when the tournament issuing from the merger between Davis Cup and ATP Cup could take place, ideally over two weeks and every other year (and preferably never on Olympic years).
If I can express a personal wish, this fall-season team competition would include both men and women and feature mixed doubles. Joint events and mixed competitions are one specificity of professional tennis that should be valued and developed. This kind of team competition would drive up support for women's tennis in many national federations that currently do not care so much.
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Hockey has long been Canada’s national sport. But here comes tennis. Our Bianca Andreescu beat Serena to win the US Open. And our Denis Shapovalov led Canada to the Davis Cup final. These Canadian tennis stars are in their early twenties and can still improve. The future of Canadian tennis is very bright.
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@Milton Lewis You are so right. I was lucky enough to see the "unknown" Bianca A at the 2019 Indian Wells (I believe she was a qualifier) fight her way back from down one set in her first match, then, remarkably, go on to beat Kerber in the final. Boy, was she fun to watch. You could see what she was made of right away. And, then, of course, I hope Denis S completes the Canadian one-two punch. I'm sorry to say, this line in the article is the one and only story about men's tennis that really matters: "No active player currently under 30 has won a major singles title, which is without precedent in modern men’s tennis." Surely, that fact has not been given enough attention. (To say, "well, what do you expect playing in the era of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic" is not enough.) Something else is going on, or not going on. One could write a book about it.
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If scientists set out to construct The perfect tennis player with equal measure of talent, skill, grit, intensity and sportsmanship, you would end up with a player like Rafa.
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The number of Slam wins is not an exceedingly useful indicator of tennis greatness without context. Rod Laver would have won many more Slams if he had been allowed to compete in them as a pro during his prime years. Conversely, Roy Emerson would have won many fewer had he not competed as an amateur. Roger Federer came of tennis age during a weak period of men's tennis in which he was beating the likes of Roddick, Phillipoussis, Baghdatis, and Hewitt in Slam finals.
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Rafa is amazing! I was captivated the first time I saw him play.
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Rafa: what a hero!
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The Big 3 will win every Major in 2020
Kreskin
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@Flyingoffthehandle It's a nice idea but I don't think it's the case. In fact at the risk of being contrary they might not win any of them! I'd be stunned if Tsitsipas, Medvedev and Thiem didn't win at least one major between them, and one each wouldn't be out of the question. And there are other contenders.
My guess is two for the Big Three and two for "the field" but if that's wrong then I'm guessing it'll be more for the field.
For almost all Spaniards Rafa is a role model.. Children at school, mothers at their jobs, etc. are flabbergasted.
So humble and proud to be one of us.
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@recaredo Even for no -Spaniards ,( like myself), Rafa's humility and relentless spirit are much too endearing for words. I am grateful that I was able to watch him play from the very beginning and he will always be my all time favorite player. Vamos, Rafa!
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@recaredo Spain and Switzerland are blessed to have
Mr. Nadal and Mr. Federer
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