Rafael Nadal has inspired many. Talented young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz recently spoke about the mental strength of compatriot Rafael Nadal, claiming that his never-giving up attitude has inspired many.
The 17-year-old tennis player also mentioned that the French Open champion for the 2020 season, Nadal was her idol because of her unyielding attitude every time she brought it to the field.
The world number 145’s performance in the Future and Challenger events has seen him as the next big thing in tennis. He also recently qualified for the first Grand Slam of his career, at the 2021 Australian Open.
READ ALSO : Top 4 tennis players ready for action on the first day of the 2021 ATP Cup
Because the 17 year old tennis player comes from Spain, many have labeled him as Nadal’s successor. However, both world number 145 and coach Juan Carlos Ferrero believes that his game is more akin to that of Roger Federer than to Rafael Nadal.
“Rafa is my idol. His desires, his behavior. It doesn’t matter if he plays the first match or the final, the level of concentration is always the same. He wants to win every game,” said Alcaraz.
“The mentality is an example for anyone, be it a tennis player or an individual. He motivates everyone, because he never gives up. Everyone wants to be the best, it doesn’t matter if you are an athlete, a footballer, a doctor, a journalist, everyone has a purpose in their life.”
While the 34-year-old’s game can make opponents tremble, his mental strength can even corner tennis players like Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Even when a player who has won 20 Grand Slam titles is not at his best physically, he can still chase the ball all over the court and return it stunningly. He fights for every point as it is his last point, regardless of who is on the other side of the net.
When it comes to his game, the world number 2 focuses more on what he can do well, firing powerful forehands and then producing backhand at impossible angles. He understands very well how to play to his strengths.
But what makes Nadal so respected, even more so than Djokovic and Federer, is his confidence. The Mallorcan native knows that he can always run further and summon extra power to get his opponent to shoot the extra punch, which is often enough to put the game in his favor.
