Rafa Roundup: “Everybody has broken a racquet and Nadal has never broken a racquet”

Rafael Nadal poses with the Musketeers Cup at the photocall after winning his 14th Roland Garros Grand Chelem title on Pont Alexandre III Bridge on June 06, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)

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“Rafa is following the process, and the recovery is good,” Ruiz Cotorro told Spanish radio. “In two or three days we will look at the effects. In four days we will put him on court and evaluate the way the treatment is evolving.

“If there is any discomfort following treatment, we will have to look at whether he can play Wimbledon.”

“This is an injury that rest is not good for, it adapts little by little to the load,” he said. “That same thing happened with the rib, five weeks not stepping on court.”

“Wimbledon starts in less than two weeks, so let’s see if my nephew is there or not. I think that he will be and that the treatment goes well,” he said in quotes published by Eurosport Spain.

“He wants to take advantage of the good sporting moment that he is going through and that has led him to be the winner of the two Grand Slams.

“He has had to overcome many difficulties and is still there despite having already won many things and being very successful.

“Since 2005, he has been playing with a lot of pain to the point of sometimes being unable to finish a training session.”

“He has the mental intimidation on most of the tour. It’s just his talent level is incredible, his resilience is incredible, his vision for the games and what he brings to table and how he can implement it on everybody is just best of the best,” Kudla said.

“He plays the lefty kind of style so well, he’s got such good power, he plays every single point with focus and intent, he’s so positive. I was talking about this the other day, it’s incredible, where he has been playing for over 17 years and he’s never broken a racquet. And it’s like wow. Everybody has broken a racquet and he’s never broken a racquet. What’s in his brain is just incredible,” Kudla continued.

“I know that the fashion now is immediacy and that patience is not a greatly valued virtue,” Nadal said. “When we want something, all we have to do is pick up our mobiles and make a purchase, read an article or get the information we need.

“But today I would like to remind you that the greatest goals in life are not achieved from one day to the next. They are achieved by fighting, struggling and learning when you fall down. I’m convinced that all of you will be great professionals and good people, which is the most important thing.

“But I can also tell you, through experience, that along the way you will have unexpected moments and disappointments that will make you question everything. In those moments, you must rely on your family, your loved ones and the people you trust, who will remind you what your dreams and goals were so that you can dream of them again.”

This was the first time he’s ever won Roland Garros while seeded outside the Top 4. He’s won it three times as the No. 1 seed, seven times as the No. 2 seed, once as the No. 3 seed, twice as the No. 4 seed and once—this year—as the No. 5 seed.

He didn’t just improve to 14-0 in Roland Garros finals, he’s now 21-0 in best-of-five-set finals on clay. The other seven finals came early on in his career when some other ATP events had best-of-five finals (four in 2005 at Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and Stuttgart and three in 2006 at Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome).

He won his 92nd career ATP title. He’s still fourth in the Open Era, but catching up on third—he currently trails only Jimmy Connors (109), Federer (103) and Ivan Lendl (94).

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8 comments

  1. This may very well be Rafa’s year to win 3 slams , 2 down and 1 to go . US Open is definitely in his wheelhouse , 36 yrs young and making it happen only as Rafa can do .

  2. Rafa my Mentor for a very long time.
    Have always believed in the same philosophy as Rafa – reading the motivational speech he made at his Academy, was definitely one I copied to my children and friends
    He is an absolute Legend and Warrior

  3. Rafa is really amazing…he is the greatest…nobody in all of the sports accross the world has ever come back from so many injuries and perform at the level he has for so long. Vamos Rafa. Respect and love hope you continue to play for another 5urs. Your are my happy pills.

  4. I never understood the violence directed at racquets.

    The tennis racquet, golf club, a racing car in modern times, even a samurai sword eons ago, are treated as partners in achieving glory towards a successful outcome.

    I have read about sporting heroes ‘sleeping with the tools of their sport the night prior to a match’, produce the desired bonding and achieve a win as partners in sync with each other.

    Inanimate objects possess a ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ and develop an aura (the thicker, the better) about them to co-operate, to protect and/or to be one with man’s aspirations.

  5. I feel like a broken record – Rafa is an incredible PERSON – not just THE BEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME. Look at what he said at his Academy’s Graduation. So true. So HEALTHY so NOT WOKE! I copied and pasted that section into a text to my sons. The world would be a far better place if we all had Rafa’s attitude. And I’m still very hopeful he will play Wimbledon 🙂 Enjoying every moment we have Rafa on the court! Never broke a racket – never will. Because he knows that’s his moneymaker and he APPRECIATES it. Just like he won’t step on the lines because he had to clean those lines after practice all growing up. He APPRECIATES the lines! Seriously – think like Rafa… 😉

  6. More than Rafa’s 12 titles before 2020, let us understand and appreciate the magnitude of what he achieved in 2020 and 2022 with the following pre RG clay records (2-1 in 2020, 3-2 in 2022) in cold heavy conditions in 2020 both indoors and outdoors which looked nothing like RG in may and without dropping a set. In 2022 he played in every scenario imaginable, indoors, outdoors in both day and night matches where the spin and speed varied and he conquered all with a numb foot. This at 34 and 36 when he is well past his prime but has added so much to his game that he can do this now. In all honesty he may not have won in 2020-2022 conditions very early on in his career because he didn’t have the variety he has now. Guy forget is right. He is bigger than Pele, maybe not Ali but definitely at par with him. This is an unparalleled achievement at 36. No words can describe it.

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