"Rafael Nadal is arguably the greatest competitor in sports" - John McEnroe's brother Patrick heaps praise on Spaniard ahead of retirement
John McEnroe's brother Patrick heaped praise on Rafael Nadal weeks before the Spaniard's final tournament in professional tennis. The 38-year-old is set to embrace retirement after the Davis Cup knockout stages in November.
Patrick McEnroe appeared on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast episode released on October 24. The host, Mitch Michals raised the topic of Nadal and his impending retirement. McEnroe had kind words for the Spanish tennis icon, stating that he would do just fine in retirement.
"On, knowing Rafa reasonably well, I wouldn't say I'm, you know, friends with him, but, been around him a lot. He's probably gonna have a nice little doggy like this, with his son Rafa, so he's gonna be just fine," Patrick McEnroe said.
Further, the 58-year-old former tennis player called Nadal "arguably the greatest competitor".
"But you put it really well. I mean, not only is he arguably the greatest competitor we've ever seen in tennis, maybe in sports in general, you gotta put him up there. But so humble and such a great sportsman example," McEnroe said.
On October 10, Nadal took to social media to share an emotional video announcing that he would retire from tennis after representing Spain in the Davis Cup Finals. The 22-time Grand Slam winner thanked his family, team, rivals, and fans for their participation in his illustrious tennis journey.
John McEnroe's brother Patrick used Rafael Nadal as an example for kids at the tennis academy
Rafael Nadal's remarkable career has been defined by his competitiveness and athletic prowess along with his humility and sportsmanship. The Spaniard has consistently shown respect for the game and his opponents.
Reflecting on these qualities, John McEnroe's brother Patrick shared a story about the impact Nadal has on young players at John's academy,
"I helped run our John McEnroe Tennis Academy here in New York with my brother, and, all the kids, over the years that I've been there, show up with the Rafa headband, his racket," Patrick McEnroe said.
"I tell them, you're probably not going to be able to hit the forehand like Rafa, okay? But you can learn from his attitude, which was 110% every time he went out on the court. No excuses. Be humble. Respect the game, which is why he never broke a racket. Respect the opponent," he added.
On November 19, Spain will take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinal of the Davis Cup Finals. Nadal will be joined by the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Roberto Batista Agut against a Dutch squad led by Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp. The winner will take on either Germany or Canada.