Watch: Nike's old commercial hailing Rafael Nadal's relentless fighting spirit over the years
Rafael Nadal's sensational run at the Mexican Open saw him capture a 91st career ATP title. The Spaniard brought a level of intensity to his Acapulco matches that made him virtually unbeatable throughout the week.
Following the loss in the final, Nadal's opponent Cameron Norrie said he felt like there was nothing he could do to win against the Spaniard on the day. The Briton went on to describe the 21-time Grand Slam champion as "relentless."
This was the cue that fans on social media needed to dig up a two-year-old Nike commercial that hailed the relentless fighting spirit that has seen Nadal win so many of his big matches.
Narrated by fellow tennis player John McEnroe, the one-minute-long commercial opens with a teenaged Rafael Nadal, described as a "phenomenon" in the voiceover, preparing to return serve.
As the commercial progresses, Nadal can be seen throwing himself at shots in different rallies against different opponents, with the binding factor being the Spaniard's willingness to go the extra mile in every single one of those rallies.
'Is he gonna play every point like that?'
Yes, he (still) does ♥️ https://t.co/PihozS4qyJ
Expertly edited, the commercial returns to the opening sequence after completing the montage. The camera pans to the 16-year-old Rafael Nadal, with McEnroe's voiceover questioning if the Spaniard is planning on playing every point of the match with the same level of intensity.
"Is he gonna play every point like that?" McEnroe can be heard saying in the voiceover.
A fitting ode to Rafael Nadal's tenacity and willingness to fight for every point, the Nike commercial struck a chord with fans in the wake of the 35-year-old's latest achievement.
First shared on Twitter by tennis observer Luigi Gatto shortly after Nadal's win in Acapulco, the short video commercial has been viewed over 67,000 times.
"On the court, he is relentless" - Cameron Norrie on Rafael Nadal
Speaking at a press conference following his loss in the Acapulco final, Norrie said Nadal has maintained the ability to stay focused and gritty throughout his matches and never gives anything away for free.
Acknowledging that the Spaniard was too strong for him on the day, the Briton said he felt there wasn't much he could have done to stop Nadal's charge.
"He keeps his concentration very, very well and he doesn't give you too many free points. You feel like you can't do anything," Norrie said. "You give him one or two free points and you're down a break and then you're battling back. That's what happened [to me] today. On the court, he is relentless."