Rafael Nadal: Still Going Strong

In normal circumstances, no one would have cared to watch the final of VTR Open in Chile featuring an Argentinian player named Horacio Zeballos, but the fact that it was Rafael Nadal’s first final after a seven month long hiatus, it led to a few tense faces watching the game in the huge TV room of our hostel. And not surprisingly, we were all cheering for Nadal.  The atmosphere was certainly not as tense as that during a Roland Garros final, or a Wimbledon match against Federer, but just to watch Rafa play competitive tennis once again was worth the effort, even though he ultimately lost the match. But it was not the tournament, per se, that was important for us, but the fact that it marked the comeback of the gladiator in the international circuit, getting ready to reclaim his usurped territory.

But this loss has given even more reasons for the critics to pounce upon him, given his vulnerable position at this point of time. The same wave of gobbledygook has started all over again, with the purists once again questioning his fitness level and his defensible style of play, never having held a tennis racquet even once in their whole lives. I seriously doubt if the same would have happened if he had gone on to win the tournament (a tournament which is often ignored by the current top three players in the world).

But it seems that the critics have forgotten that it is not the first time that Nadal has come back from a career threatening injury, and boy, he has come back pretty strong each time. The first time he was plagued by such an injury was in 2005, when a scaphoid bone in his left foot left him unable even to stand, let alone run and hit for four gruelling hours in a match. He walked on crutches during the period, and had to hit the balls on a wheelchair, but he never lost sight of his ambitions. And with the help of his never say die attitude (he was just 19 at that time) and some avant-garde technology, he could make it to the arena once again. But now, he had to grapple with another problem. The customized shoes that he wore to prevent further pain in his foot actually transferred the pain to his knees. But that was a problem to be dealt with later, and not enough to deter him now. Interestingly, after recovering from the injury, he lost in the semis of the first tournament he played in Marseille, France. But two weeks later he defeated Federer in Dubai, and went on to claim his second French Open title.

Next time was in 2009. Apart from his familial problems, he suffered a crushing pain in his knees just after his shock exit from the French Open tournament. The injury prevented him from defending his Wimbledon trophy that year. And interestingly once again, he lost in the quarterfinals of his first tournament after injury to Juan Martin del Potro. And then to the same man, he lost in the semis of the next tournament. But in 2010, it was Rafael Nadal all over again. He won the French Open, Wimbledon and then the US Open, successfully completing his Career Grand Slam.

So what I want to say is, as these “interesting” anecdotes show, it is premature to pronounce a verdict on Rafa’s career when history and legacy are on his side, and if not more than before, sufficient time too. For God’s sake, he is only 26! One loss in a “not-so-important” tournament hardly makes a difference. He is definitely far from over.

But while he was recovering from the knee tendinitis during these seven months, there was yet another problem that would haunt him. At least it was difficult for all the Nadal fans out there. People started to spread word that he was actually serving a ban for doping, rather than convalescing. Now for the person who has seen all the highs and very lows of a professional career at such a young age, what could be more disconcerting that questioning his credibility and all the hard-work by baseless allegations of doping? The world has seen enough of a Lucifer falling down from grace, after the startling revelations by one of the tallest figures in world sports, Lance Armstrong. Have some mercy! When the ITF has itself refuted the charges, who are we to cast accusations?

And this becomes even more despicable when a fellow sportsman starts fuelling to the fire. In November 2011, in a column in a French journal, Le Monde, Yannick Noah, a former French Open winner, alleged that without a magic potion, winning is hard, referring to Spain’s domination in the world of sports. Spain’s football team is the World Cup and European Championship holder, while Spanish cyclists have won the Tour de France four times in the last seven years. Spain’s basketball team has won a World Championship, two European titles and an Olympic silver medal in the past six years. It seems that Mr. Noah is actually lamenting the fact that French nationals have not been able to win the tournaments being played at home, and rather than pointing fingers at someone who is superior, Mr. Noah should look into improving his country’s record by, for starters, cultivating better sportsmen. And I think that Rafael Nadal had every right to rebuke him for his irresponsible remarks and defend the honour of his country. That is what good citizens do, right?

Finally, I can say that for all the Nadal fans, this year brings lot of hopes and expectations with it, and no matter how it fares out in the near future, for us, Rafa would always remain the greatest sportsman who ever lived, for it is not only how much of an on-the-field person you are, the personality and attitude off-the-field is what matters in the long run. And there are very few people on this earth who insulate themselves from all the glories that is an occupational hazard and keep their feet glued to the ground. I believe people will agree with me on this front.

For now, it is the semis of the Brazil Open when Nadal faces Argentinian Martin Alund on Saturday. And just like all the other times, once again we all say “Vamos, Rafa!”.