Home » “If I hadn’t had people guiding me on the right path,” Rafael Nadal said.

Rafael Nadal delivered a truly excellent performance in the first part of the season. The Spanish phenomenon has conquered the Australian Open and Roland Garros, despite having just returned from a 2021 with only seven official tournaments played.

Foot pain tormented Rafa also in this first part of 2022, but the former ATP number 1 managed to put a piece of it by getting help from Dr. Cotorro. A small tear in his abs prevented him from playing the Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios, having to abandon the dream called ‘Calendar Grand Slam’

The 36-year-old from Manacor has retired to avoid worsening the situation and is expected to be on the field regularly in Montreal next month. The Iberian will have a great chance at the US Open, as his eternal rival Novak Djokovic is unlikely to be able to travel to the United States.

The Majorcan has always expressed great tennis in New York, even if he has not played the last seasonal Grand Slam since 2019. In a long interview with ‘Talento aboard’, Nadal explained what the term ‘talent’ means to him.

Rafa Nadal on the importance of optimism

“Talent is something that I think people confuse a little bit,” said Rafael Nadal. “For me, it’s not playing pretty or hitting the ball very hard. Some have the talent to hit hard, others to not miss any ball, some to make a great cut and others to move very well.

But in tennis, as in all sports, the ultimate goal is to win. Therefore, for me, the summary is clear: the one who wins is the one with the most talent.” Additionally, Nadal stressed the importance of optimism in every situation, no matter how difficult it is, as the key to success.

“If I hadn’t had people guiding me on the right path, maybe I wouldn’t have had that spirit of perseverance and improvement. Despite the adversities, I have always had a good attitude and a positive spirit, and that is something that we try to pass on to the young people.

Because there will always be difficult moments, but the important thing is to accept them, work hard and look forward with optimism,” the 36-year-old stated. Rafael Nadal, undoubtedly, has established himself not only as the best player in the tennis realm but also as the most resilient one.

The Spaniard has increased his count of grand slam titles to 22 and his comeback at the US Open seems like a good possibility now.