“Everyone wanted to be the next Rafael Nadal or Juan Martin del Potro in the wheelchair” - Martin de la Puente after winning the wheelchair men’s doubles title at the US Open alongside Nicolas Peifer
Martin de la Puente hailed Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro as inspirations in the post-match press conference after winning the US Open men’s wheelchair doubles title alongside partner Nicolas Peifer.
Nicolas Peifer and Martin de la Puente were declared the men’s doubles champions in wheelchair tennis at the US Open on Saturday. The duo dethroned five-time defending champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid in the final.
📸🏆
CHAMPION, @Nicolas_Peifer 🔥🇫🇷
#USOpen https://t.co/OlBnBkqitL
Speaking about the thrilling comeback victory, Martin de la Puente said that the US Open was one of the biggest stages and that he "really felt the pressure." He, however, emphasized that tennis is a sport whose outcome is not certain until the final point is played, and that kept the pair going.
“It's always a pleasure for the wheelchair tennis to play in these kind of stages. The US Open is one of the greatest. I think I really felt the pressure on the first games. But then I think we managed to come back. This is very beautiful sport that it doesn't end till it ends, till the last point. We're trying to just keep pushing, just keep believing in ourselves even though we were very bad position in the second set,” he said.
When asked about the growing reach and opportunities in wheelchair tennis, de la Puente credited fellow Spaniard and tennis legend Rafael Nadal and Argentine Juan Martin del Potro for inspiring people around the world to take up the sport.
“The thing is that wheelchair tennis was most of the times very short. Everyone wanted to play the slams. Everyone wanted to be the next Rafael Nadal or Juan Martin del Potro in the wheelchair. But they (draws) were too small. The slams are giving us the opportunity to be tennis players, be the ones that we want to,” he remarked.
Students from Rafael Nadal’s Academy win the girls’ and boys’ Junior titles at the US Open
Although Rafael Nadal made an early exit at the US Open, students from his academy in Mallorca have been producing excellent results in recent days.
@CasperRuud98! 
🔥 2 Grand Slam semifinals in 2022 for 🇳🇴 @CasperRuud98! 🔥VAMOOOOS‼️ https://t.co/UZiUjDIGr9
Not only has US Open finalist Casper Ruud trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy, but the current girls’ and boys’ champions at Flushing Meadows hail from the Spaniard’s establishment.
17-year-old Alexandra Eala, from Rafa Nadal Academy, became the first Filipina to win the US Open Junior Tennis Championships.
On the boys’ side, 16-year-old Spaniard Martin Landaluce, a student of Nadal's, has lifted the US Open Junior title.
Alenxandra Eala 
Martín Landaluce 
2022 US Open Girls' champion
Rafa Nadal Academy player
🇵🇭 Alenxandra Eala 🏆
2022 US Open Boys' champion
Rafa Nadal Academy player
🇪🇸 Martín Landaluce 🏆 https://t.co/j4EuQQ1zK8
After his monumental victory, Landaluce attributed Rafael Nadal’s dominance in tennis for Spain’s recent glory in the sport.
"I think in part is the mentality we have like a country. We are fighters. Especially I think we have had Rafa Nadal, one of the best persons, best examples of sport management. Yeah, like a person he's great. He's my idol since I've been playing. I think for many people he's such an inspiration," Landaluce said.