French Open 2022: Rafael Nadal is pushing the boundaries of what is possible
Rafael Nadal once again wrote sports history with his 14th triumph at the French Open. But that's not the only reason why the Spaniard should serve as a role model for young and old. A commentary analysis.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Jun 06, 2022, 03:49 pm
Rafael Nadal is and remains a phenomenon: On Sunday, the 36-year-old added another chapter to his already impressive career with his renewed triumph at the French Open. To understand the scope of Nadal's achievements, however, one has to go back to the very beginning of his career.
As early as 2005, the Mallorcan was threatened with the end of his career for the first time. The Müller-Weiss syndrome - a disease of the navicular bone of the foot - posed a great mystery to the Spaniard's entire team, but Nadal was only able to continue his career thanks to special shoe inserts and countless treatments. Of course, with constant pain.
Nadal was only able to play in Paris thanks to numerous anesthetics, but that is not a long-term solution. "I cannot and do not want to continue like this," said the world number four, who wants to get his pain under control this week with radiofrequency ablation. If this treatment approach does not work, Nadal would not close the thought of surgery. Which would then probably result in the end of his career.
Nadal and that little something extra
The events that have taken place in Paris over the past two weeks are all the more impressive. With Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud, four top ten players stood in Nadal's way, but the Spaniard was again unstoppable despite the difficult draw. The 36-year-old now holds 14 French Open titles and 22 Grand Slam trophies.
However, it is not the numbers alone that make up the Nadal phenomenon. Rather, it's that energy, difficult to describe, that the Spaniard exudes every time he steps onto the pitch. Be it in the first round of a 250 tournament or in the final of a Grand Slam event.
It is this pure passion for tennis that still drives Nadal. The Iberian is not (only) concerned with success, but above all with joy in everyday life. It was therefore not surprising that before the final against Ruud he emphasized that he would always want to exchange a possible title for a healthy foot.
Still, the Paris days showed once again that Nadal, even at the age of 36, subordinates everything to his career. As relaxed as he may appear off the court, he acts doggedly on the center courts of this world. Otherwise - that also connects Nadal with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer - such successes would not be possible.
Nadal leaves the GOAT debate cold
From the current point of view, Nadal has the arguments on his side in the almost endless GOAT debate. While the media and fans are constantly asking who is the best player of all time, Nadal also takes a pragmatic approach to this question. Of course he would love to hold most of the major trophies, but "you can't always be frustrated because the neighbor has a bigger house than you. Or a bigger TV, or a bigger yard. That's not the way I look at life ."
It is statements like these that young and old should take as a role model. Although Nadal didn't make sports history just once, he always remained the boy from Manacor at heart. You will look in vain for arrogance in the 22-time Grand Slam champion - this was once again visible in an interview with CNN the day after the French Open final.
"I've always thought of myself as a normal guy. If I've done it, someone else can do it," Nadal said, looking at his records. At least on this point you have to contradict the 36-year-old. Because what Rafael Nadal delivered in his career will forever remain unmatched. On, but especially off the pitch.
Here is the individual tableau for men
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