'It's incredible how Rafael Nadal manages his matches', says young star

Rafael Nadal has demonstrated his incredible mental strength countless times during his amazing career, enhanced by as many as 20 Grand Slam titles. 2020 hadn't started in the best way for the Spanish phenomenon, as his team had to bow to Serbia in the ATP Cup final. quarter-finals at the hands of Dominic Thiem (who would have reached only one set from winning the title). The former world number 1 was just in time to lift the trophy in Acapulco in early March, before the tour was suspended due to the Coronavirus emergency. After resuming the tour in August, Rafa decided to skip the trip to the United States and not go to New York to defend the title he won at the US Open in 2019. His choice proved to be wise and far-sighted, as Nadal he would be awarded his 13th Roland Garros in October without losing a single set along the way. This success also allowed him to equal the Grand Slam record of eternal rival Roger Federer by crowning a very long chase. In the season finale, the Majorcan failed to break the taboo of the ATP Finals. Despite having a great tournament, Rafael's run at the O2 Arena in London came to a halt in the semifinals against a wild Daniil Medvedev. In a recent interview with AS, his compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina expressed all his admiration for the Iberian legend.

Davidovich Fokina on Rafael Nadal

"In Spain, we have a player, Rafael Nadal, who is a mental beast," Alejandro Davidovich Fokina said. "You can learn a lot from him by watching how he manages his matches. Although, when it comes to the game (style) we are totally different." To deal with high-pressure situations, players often seek the help of a psychologist and many believed that Rafa does the same. However, recently, his coach Carlos Moya dismissed such rumors. He said, “What I do have to say is that since I’ve been with Rafa and without knowing if he has resorted to them before, I have never seen him need this kind of help… I can assure you that what he does in times of stress he has not learned anywhere. Nor has he read it or been taught by a psychologist.” Every Rafa fan would agree with what Carlos Moya has said here. Nadal’s mental strength is not something that has been seen in any other player, and it can never be taught. In matches, when he has a huge amount of pressure on him, he has always managed to play his best tennis to win. When he has been injured, he has always pulled off a successful comeback. Rafa is the greatest fighter in the sport, and everyone can expect him to keep fighting in the future.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3oduNJd