Is Nadal the Best-Loved Men’s Tennis Player of All Time?
The latest golden era of men’s tennis is undoubtedly drawing to a close. The “Big Three” of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are now down to just one, with only the Serbian master continuing to win – although not quite as regularly as before. Tennis fans should count themselves lucky that they were around when those three dominated the game.
Those same fans will have also probably enjoyed countless debates about who the best of the three was. Statistics can only ever tell us so much when it comes to declaring the GOAT. All sports are the same. In football it used to be between Pelé and Maradona and in later years the arguments were for and against Messi and Ronaldo.
Tennis has also enjoyed countless top players in its history with different people choosing their own personal favorites. John McEnroe may have rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way but he also had legions of fans, even when Björn Borg tended to win more championships.
Nadal has not quite won the most championships in recent times. If you are thinking of wagering on tennis and checking out the Everygame review you will not find his name used to attract customers now, due to his recent retirement from the sport. However, there is a good argument to be made that Rafael Nadal is the best-loved tennis player of all time. The fact that he was so successful is only part of the reason why.
If we just looked at the most major titles won then it would be Djokovic who would be the best ever. Nadal was famously “The King of Clay”, of course. But even those incredible 14 French Open titles were not enough to knock the giant Serb from off of the top spot. The fact that Nadal was also able to adapt his game to succeed on other surfaces, even the grass of Wimbledon, shows that he was far more versatile than that nickname suggested. But the numbers do not lie.
Where Nadal bests Djokovic is in his general manner and demeanor – off and on the court. Roger Federer is much-loved because of his gracious personality but even he cannot compare with the genuine warmth and happiness that Nadal showed when he was playing and for the way he greeted fans. Nadal is the best-loved tennis player of all time because he never looked like he didn’t want to be there. Even as he struggled with the injuries that blighted his career – and arguably kept him from being the most winningest player of all time – the smile on his face was a joy to behold.
Nadal was one of the most humble players the sport has ever known. Part of the makeup of the modern tennis player is a hunger to be the best. Nothing else matters and that can sometimes come across as rude or arrogant. The aforementioned John McEnroe probably wouldn’t even stand out in today’s game. That desire to win is admirable but it doesn’t always endear an individual to the fans, even if the athlete is able to back up his personality with championships and titles. But Nadal was able to win – a lot – and still be gracious in defeat and respectful of all his opponents.
Nadal’s interactions with fans have also helped him become the most-loved player on the circuit. He never didn’t have the time to knock a few balls with younger players or sign autographs. He seemed to understand that part of being a top athlete is being as natural as possible with the people who would do anything for the chance to meet you or even just to cheer you on to victory.
With Spain’s defeat in the Davis Cup, the astoundingly successful career of Rafael Nadal is finally over. He was able to come back from injuries and win championships decades apart in the past but his body will no longer have to battle back to a point where he can compete with players 20 years his junior. There are more than enough new and exciting players coming through the ranks to challenge Djokovic – and each other once he retires as well – that the sport of tennis does not have to worry about losing its popularity any time soon. It might be said that the sheer number of realistic challengers for every major shows that the game has never been in better health. But the retirement of Rafael Nadal does seem like the end of players like him.
Professional tennis players have to live and breathe the sport and it has to be understood that that can sometimes result in a more standoffish attitude. But Rafael Nadal never seemed to think that was an inevitable way to behave. It wasn’t as though he had to make a huge effort to be the way he was – he was just being natural. That, in the end, is the main reason why he is – and will continue to be – the best-loved tennis player of all time.
Being himself on and off the court was never a chore for Rafael Nadal and his presence at major tournaments will be greatly missed. Perhaps that is why he is considered by many to be the real GOAT.
