'Even on his worse days Rafael Nadal...', says Top 10

Many players consider Rafael Nadal as the most difficult opponent to beat on the men's circuit. The Spanish phenomenon has dominated on clay like no other in the history of the sport, having won 13 Roland Garros with a tally of 100 wins against just two defeats. Yet another success in the French capital last year allowed the Majorcan to equal the all-time record of 20 Grand Slams of eternal rival Roger Federer. In a remote interview granted to Blair Henley, Stefanos Tsitsipas - who is quarantining in Melbourne before the Australian Open - revealed how he felt when he faced Nadal. Their last meeting dates back to the last day of the Round Robin, with the 34-year-old from Manacor coming out victorious thanks to a score of 6-4 4-6 6-2. The 22-year-old Greek has recorded only one win over Rafa in Madrid. Tsitsipas and Nadal will be among the protagonists of the second edition of the ATP Cup, staged in the first week of February.

Tsitsipas on facing Rafael Nadal

“Rafael Nadal is someone who just doesn’t accept to give up, never. He never fails to deliver,” the Greek professional said. “Even on his worse days, he always has, with his fighting spirit, his ways to go around it. And that’s what makes him one of the toughest players to beat.” Apart from his ever-growing energy and focus, the record 13-time French Open champion also has a left-hand advantage. And according to the 22-year-old, the hand makes it all the more difficult to defeat him. “I think he takes very good advantage of his left hand… uses that to the max,” Stefanos Tsitsipas explained. “He’s been a very difficult player from the baseline, and someone that you really have to be 100% concentrated in every single point to beat.” However, if one levels with the commitment of Rafael Nadal, one can surely gain an edge over the match. “You have to bring the best out of his serve, out of your groundstrokes,” Stefanos said. “Generally, you have to be very concentrated and careful when you play against him.” At the moment, Rafael Nadal is in Adelaide in Australia. He will be headlining the ‘A Day at the Drive’ exhibition event along with other players like Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Naomi Osaka. As the players arrived in Australia, they had to follow protocols and had to quarantine themselves for a 14-day period. Coming to tennis, after the event in Adelaide, Rafa will head towards Melbourne. He will represent Spain at the ATP Cup, followed by the first Grand Slam of the new season. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Yuk6Hf