"In order to beat Rafael Nadal, you have to play perfect for 3-4 hours straight" - Taro Daniel
Rafael Nadal has often been described as a warrior on the court. The Spaniard's mindset and fighting abilities have enabled him to bounce back from several injuries in his career, as well as from difficult situations in important matches.
Taro Daniel has a first hand-experience of that latter quality. During their second round encounter at the US Open in 2017, Daniel came out firing to win the first set 6-4, before the Spaniard came roaring back to win in four sets.
That match made the Japanese player realize that you need to play you best tennis for a sustained period of time in order to beat Rafael Nadal.
"I hit so many winners that night it was a strange feeling for me. I never swung so freely in a match before. I also felt that in order to beat Rafa, you have to play perfect for 3-4 hours straight," Daniel said in a recent interview.
Taro Daniel has also played against one other member of the Big 3 - Novak Djokovic. The 27-year-old scored a shock three-set win over Djokovic at Indian Wells in 2018.
Reflecting on that win over the 17-time Major champion Novak Djokovic, Daniel claimed the victory was special even though he was aware that the Serb was not at his best on the day.
"It was a great moment where I know I did something special for my career," Daniel said. "I remember being happy but also, I knew that he was not nearly at his best. I was able to take advantage of that."
Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic have a special quality to their ball; they also have a presence that not many other players have: Taro Daniel
According to Taro Daniel, the reason Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are such difficult opponents is that they hit the ball in a very unique way. The Japanese player also believes that the two legends have an aura around them that is rare to find among the players on the tour.
"They (Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal) have a special quality to their ball," Daniel said. "They also have a presence that not many other players have. I really enjoyed feeling the speed and the quality of their ball. Especially Djokovic's backhand down the line really stretches like crazy."
One member of the Big 3 that Daniel has not played against yet is Roger Federer. The 27-year-old revealed that playing Federer at least once before the Swiss retires is something that he desperately wants to tick off.
"Yes, Roger Federer is on my bucket list," Daniel responded when asked about playing the 39-year-old.