"Rafael Nadal has done a great job of challenging the idea that you need to have a clean bill of health to be an all-time great" - Tennis analyst
Tennis analyst Gil Gross has put forward Rafael Nadal's example to dismiss concerns about injury issues potentially derailing Carlos Alcaraz's long-term success and dominance on the tour.
Alcaraz recently beat Novak Djokovic in a five-set at the Wimbledon 2023 final. The win has sparked discussions about potential long-term obstacles that could hinder the youngster from achieving the level of Nadal, Djokovic, and Roger Federer and stop him from setting himself up as the future GOAT.
But Gil Gross stated that Alcaraz's continued dominance would depend on his ability to maintain an injury-free career. However, the tennis analyst highlighted that injury concerns were a factor in every player's career, not just limited to the World No. 1.
"The answer is obviously, got to make sure the body holds up, got to make sure he doesn’t get injured. I’ve got to say I don’t love that answer. I think for any player that is a factor because that’s always a really important factor in your ability to have a great career," Gross said on the Monday Match Analysis podcast.
Gross further pointed out that Rafael Nadal had successfully defied the notion that a player must maintain a perfectly injury-free career in order to achieve the status of an all-time great.
"I would say Rafa has done a great job of challenging the idea that you need to have a clean bill of health throughout your career in order to be an all-time great and compile miraculous and remarkable records. Rafa has certainly challenged that, he’s had his fair share of injuries, I think it’s fair to say. But yeah, he needs to stay healthy," he said.
Gross also dismissed the idea that Alcaraz had displayed a concerning pattern of injuries.
"I challenge the idea that Alcaraz has had this really concerning pattern of health issues. He’s had two injuries. He’s had an abdominal tear which is one of the most common injuries that a tennis player can possibly have. Then he pulled/ tore his hamstring," he said.
"The thing with Rafael Nadal that has been so admired by everybody, is the guy fights for the point" - Gil Gross
Gil Gross expressed his admiration for Rafael Nadal's relentless determination to fight for every single point, a quality which has earned recognition and praise from everyone.
"The thing with Rafa, part of the thing with Rafa, that has been so admired by everybody and it's very well documented, is the guy fights for the point, seemingly," Gross said.
Gross also drew a comparison between Nadal's fighting spirit and that of American tennis legend Jimmy Connors, describing it as a "completely rare" and "great weapon" for a player to possess.
"That is always been a thing with Nadal where it's like 'Whoa, this guy just goes point to point to point and basically plays like it's the last point of his life every time.' That is completely rare, completely unique. Jimmy Connors had a similar thing. It's a great weapon to have as a player," he added.
Nadal has been away from the tour since suffering a hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion underwent arthroscopic surgery for his injured left hip flexor in June.