"Rafael Nadal does it because he would never forgive himself for withdrawing and thinking that he still had something left" - Alex Corretja
Two-time Roland Garros finalist Alex Corretja lavished praise on compatriot Rafael Nadal in a recent interview with the No Tiene Nombre podcast. Corretja was in awe of how the 21-time Grand Slam champion continues to give his best even after achieving everything there is to achieve in tennis.
According to Corretja, the former World No. 1 persisted in his pursuit because he could "never forgive himself" if he had even a semblance of doubt that he gave up without giving everything he had to offer the game.
The former World No. 2 further declared that the only reason the Mallorcan is still fighting tooth and nail on the tennis court is because of his unbridled love and passion for the sport. The Spaniard emphasized how Nadal no longer has any financial need to be playing his best day in and day out, implying that only his innate hunger to win keeps him going.
"Rafael Nadal [keeps on fighting to be the best even after achieving everything in tennis] out of love. For the enthusiasm and passion that he feels for tennis and for the awareness of it," Corretja said. "I think Rafa does it because he would never forgive himself for withdrawing and thinking that he still had something left. He has no financial need, has only the internal need to believe that he has something that he wants to squeeze out. That's a commitment."
Alex Corretja also touched on the 2022 Australian Open final between the former World No. 1 and current World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, where the 35-year-old overturned a two-set deficit to win his 21st Grand Slam title.
In doing so, the World No. 4 became the first man in tennis history to reach the milestone and leapfrogged Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to become the sole leader in the Slam race for the first time in his career.
@AustralianOpen) 21 Grand Slam titles 🏆
Rafael Nadal makes history at the Australian Open, overcoming a 2-set deficit in a grueling match that lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes. 🙌
(🎥 @AustralianOpen)
https://t.co/Lr9Kthx9Jo
Corretja praised both the Mallorcan and Medvedev for their spirited performances on the night, claiming that the match was a glowing showcase by two of the best players in the world on how to manage difficult situations.
“[The 2022 Australian Open final] is not just a tennis thing. It goes beyond that. It broke the barriers of sport," Corretja said. "The way both Nadal and Medvedev played and managed the situation is to make us say, 'We're going to watch this match and we're going to learn from what we just saw. We have to pass that skill on to our children'."
"Do not compare anyone to Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams or Garbiñe Muguruza, it is absurd to compare someone with another person" - Alex Corretja
His praise of Rafael Nadal notwithstanding, Alex Corretja was of the opinion that no one should be compared to the 21-time Grand Slam champion, or anyone else for that matter. Instead, the Spaniard hoped fans could use them as guides to create the "best version" of themselves.
"Be yourself. Do not compare anyone to Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams or Garbiñe Muguruza," Corretja said. "It is absurd to compare someone with another person. Life should be about everyone trying to give their best version of themselves. But it is good to have references, to serve as a guide."