"Each of us has his own talent" - Rafael Nadal on being asked whether Roger Federer is more talented than him
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have been fierce rivals on the court for a long time, but that doesn't stop them from repeatedly expressing their respect and admiration for each other.
During a recent interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Nadal reiterated his stand that Federer is one of the greatest players ever. He also spoke about the traits that he shares with the Swiss, and in what aspects the two of them differ.
One of the most popular opinions in the sport is that Roger Federer is a more talented player than Rafael Nadal. But when asked about his thoughts on that, the Spaniard replied that 'talent' is subjective.
"What is talent? Each of us has his own talent. To some, it all comes easy; others know how to last longer on the court. You can have the talent to write a good article in half an hour; but if a colleague of yours can work for six hours straight and come up with an excellent article, he may be a more talented journalist than you," the 34-year-old said.
Rafael Nadal recently won his 20th Grand Slam singles title, tying Roger Federer for most Grand Slams in men's tennis history. Despite their storied rivalry though, the two share a warm relationship off the court.
"Roger Federer is one of the greatest men in the history of sport. He is a compañero (comrade). He is my great rival; and this has benefited both of us, and to tennis as well. We have shared a stretch of life. In some things we are similar: we care about peace, family. In others we are different. He's Swiss. I am Latin. We have different characters, cultures, ways of life," Rafael Nadal said.
During the interview, Rafael Nadal was also asked if their relations had improved after the Swiss came to inaugurate the Rafa Nadal Academy in October 2016. But the Spaniard replied that they already had a good relationship before that.
“Nothing has changed, because relations were already good; otherwise he would never have come. And I went for his charity in Switzerland and South Africa to play for his Foundation," Nadal added.
Rafael Nadal, who described himself as an emotional and sensitive person, also recalled that he wept in the locker room for an hour and a half following his loss to Roger Federer in the 2007 Wimbledon final.
"Desperately. For an hour and a half. Because sometimes disillusionment is terrible; even if it's just a tennis match. I cried in pain when, in the Australian Open final with Wawrinka in 2014, I injured my back after winning the first set. I lost, but I finished the match, because we do not withdraw from a Grand Slam final," Nadal said.
Rafael Nadal on how he overcame adversity at a young age with the help of a positive attitude
Injuries have dogged Rafael Nadal throughout his career. In fact, many had speculated that the Spaniard wouldn't play for a long period of time due to the sheer physicality of his game and the vulnerability of his body.
As it turns out, Nadal himself never thought he would still be playing at the age of 34.
"At 19, I had just won the first Roland Garros, they told me that I would no longer be able to play, due to a malformation in my left foot. The pain was so great that I trained myself to hit the ball sitting on a chair in the middle of the field. Then I recovered, thanks to an insole that changed the position of the foot, but inflamed my knees," Rafael Nadal said.
The Spaniard added that he has learnt to overcome his hardships with a positive mentality built around patience.
"With a positive mentality. By transforming, the fragility of the body into moral strength. Sooner or later, things will fall into place. We must equip ourselves to resist. Because there is no other solution than to resist," Rafael Nadal continued.