"Andre Agassi was like, 'Oh my God!'" - John McEnroe's brother Patrick recalls American's disbelief over Rafael Nadal's "firepower" in Wimbledon loss
With Rafael Nadal's retirement drawing near, John McEnroe's brother Patrick reminisced about his battle with Andre Agassi at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. McEnroe shared an insight into Agassi's shock and awe at the Spaniard's remarkable prowess.
One of the earliest defining victories of Nadal's career occurred in the 2005 Rogers Masters final (now known as the Canadian Open). He triumphed over Agassi in the summit clash, claiming a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory to clinch his first Masters 1000 title on a hard court.
Subsequently, the Spaniard produced a dominant display against Agassi at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships, beating the 1992 champion 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-4 in his final match at the grasscourt Major.
On the latest episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, Patrick McEnroe reflected on their Wimbledon battle, admitting that he had expected Andre Agassi to have the upper hand on the grass. However, as Rafael Nadal stunned the eight-time Grand Slam champion, McEnroe recalled how even Agassi was left in disbelief over the Spaniard's athleticism and "firepower."
"I remember that match and that same summer, I think it was, when he beat Agassi at Wimbledon, on grass. I remember thinking, 'Agassi’s probably going to win this on grass.' You know, he takes the ball early, hits it flat," McEnroe said.
"And Agassi was like, I remember looking at his face, he was like, 'Oh my God! What is this?' This type of athleticism and this type of firepower on a tennis court, he raised the bar," he added.
The American also praised Nadal not only for his accomplishments on the court but his character off it as well, hailing the 22-time Grand Slam champion as one of the greatest athletes in history.
"He raised the bar in a lot of ways, not just as a player but as a person. I always use the word sportsman because I think of him as so much more than just a tennis player. He’s one of the great all-time athletes ever," he said.
"Does anybody deserve to go out from tennis on their terms better than Rafael Nadal?" - Andre Agassi
Rafael Nadal is set to retire from professional tennis at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, which will take place in Malaga. The former World No. 1 will represent Spain alongside Carlos Alcaraz and others, taking the court for their quarterfinal clash against the Netherlands on November 19.
While commentating on the Netflix Slam exhibition event between the 22-time Grand Slam champion and Alcaraz earlier this year, Andre Agassi emphasized that Nadal deserved to end his career on his own terms, expressing his immense respect for the 38-year-old.
"Does anybody deserve to go out from tennis on their terms better than this guy? I mean, easy guy to respect, hard guy to play against, and a beautiful thing for the sport to have it here watching him," Agassi said.
Nadal, for his part, has disclosed that while it was a "difficult" decision to retire, he believed it was the right time to hang up his racket. The Spaniard also shared that he felt "absolute peace of mind" with ending his illustrious career.