"There is no better competitor in my eyes than Rafael Nadal, I've never seen him not give 100 percent on a point"- Mark Knowles
Former doubles World No. 1 Mark Knowles recently hailed Rafael Nadal's competitive spirit, saying he's never seen a better fighter than the Spaniard in the history of the sport.
During a recent appearance on Tennis Channel's Inside-In podcast, Knowles said Nadal surpassed even the likes of basketball legend Michael Jordan, golf great Tiger Woods and former ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky when it came to giving a 100 percent every day of the week.
"I mean have you ever seen a better competitor in any sport?" Knowles said. "I mean, I've gone on record with a lot of people and I respect every single athlete, I mean I am a sports fanatic, the Jordans, the Woods, the Gretzkys, there is no greater competitor in my eyes than Rafael Nadal.
"And the reason I say that is, you break down tennis, we've all played matches, whether it be 40-0, whether it be 4-0, where your mindset is 'I'm not going to give a hundred per cent'.
Knowles went on to express his admiration for the 21-time Slam winner, saying he had never seen a single point in which Nadal failed to give his all.
"I've been around the game for a long time," Knowles said. "I've played, watched and commentated Rafael Nadal. I've never seen him not give a hundred per cent on a point, I never have. If someone has, please send me a clip of it because I haven't.
"So if you really break that down, think about how crazy that is. He's never taken a play off and it speaks of his mentality, I mean, he is one of the greatest champions in any sport and, nothing but admiration for Rafael Nadal."
Rafael Nadal chases record-extending 6th title at the Madrid Open
After missing the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open due to a rib stress fracture he sustained at Indian Wells, Nadal will make his return at the Madrid Open.
🏻
A pesar de llegar justo de preparación y ser difícil, tengo muchas ganas de jugar y jugar en casa ya que las oportunidades son pocas.
A tratar de hacerlo de la mejor manera posible 💪🏻
Nos vemos en Madrid 😉 https://t.co/tiD5m6lWle
The 35-year-old has already arrived in the Spanish capital and practiced at the Caja Magica.
El retorno del 👑
@RafaelNadal | @ATPTour_ES | #MMOPEN https://t.co/6VzeXIcrxZ
Nadal has won the Madrid Open five times, more than any other player in the competition's history. His last victory came in 2017, when he beat Dominic Thiem in the final. The Spaniard reached the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open last year, before losing to eventual champion Alexander Zverev.