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Nadal unsure of 'another title'
Source: Agencies |
September 16, 2010, Thursday
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RAFAEL Nadal doesn't yet consider himself among the best players in history despite being only the seventh man to win each grand slam title.
Or that only six men finished with higher totals of major championships.
"I know I am a little bit in the history of tennis now, winning this last tournament. But I'm still 24, so we will see where I am when I finish my career."
Indeed, Nadal insisted he can't be sure he will add to the grand slam singles trophies he already has earned - five at the French Open, two at Wimbledon, and one each at the Australian Open and US Open - let alone challenge Roger Federer's record of 16.
"I don't know if I'm going to win another one," Nadal said. "You never know when this will start, and when this will stop."
After playing in Federer's shadow for years, Nadal is now the one to watch. As ATP chief executive Adam Helfant put it during the US Open: "Rafa is a rock star when he comes out to play here."
Nadal has a chance to finish off a Rafa Slam by winning the Australian Open in January. He would be the first man with four major titles in a row since Rod Laver pulled off a true grand slam by claiming all four in 1969.
A little more than 12 hours after finishing his four-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final for a third consecutive major title, Nadal was still coming to grips with the significance of the result.
"I know how difficult it is to win every tournament ... For sure, I'm going to try my best to be ready for Australia. But my first goal is to try to finish this season playing better than ... other years at the end of the season."
Nadal referred to the "very difficult" second half of 2009 - which included knee and abdominal injuries, the only French Open loss of his career, his withdrawal from Wimbledon, and his parents' separation - and spoke about rebounding strongly.
"I wanted a lot to be back," he said. "And now, I am better. I did better than before.
"That's very huge."
What still needs work, then? Nadal sighed, then rattled off a serious "To Do" list: make sure his serve gets even better, even though he won 106 of 111 service games en route to the title, tying the tournament record for fewest lost; fine-tune his court positioning; improve his slice backhand and volleys; and, he said, his backhand and forehand winners "can improve a little bit more."
"That's what's so frustrating, a little bit: He's getting better each time you play him," said Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champion.
After jetting home to Spain, Nadal plans to take a break for two days, then return to the practice court on Friday.
It barely gives the guy any time to think about his place in history.
Or that only six men finished with higher totals of major championships.
"I know I am a little bit in the history of tennis now, winning this last tournament. But I'm still 24, so we will see where I am when I finish my career."
Indeed, Nadal insisted he can't be sure he will add to the grand slam singles trophies he already has earned - five at the French Open, two at Wimbledon, and one each at the Australian Open and US Open - let alone challenge Roger Federer's record of 16.
"I don't know if I'm going to win another one," Nadal said. "You never know when this will start, and when this will stop."
After playing in Federer's shadow for years, Nadal is now the one to watch. As ATP chief executive Adam Helfant put it during the US Open: "Rafa is a rock star when he comes out to play here."
Nadal has a chance to finish off a Rafa Slam by winning the Australian Open in January. He would be the first man with four major titles in a row since Rod Laver pulled off a true grand slam by claiming all four in 1969.
A little more than 12 hours after finishing his four-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final for a third consecutive major title, Nadal was still coming to grips with the significance of the result.
"I know how difficult it is to win every tournament ... For sure, I'm going to try my best to be ready for Australia. But my first goal is to try to finish this season playing better than ... other years at the end of the season."
Nadal referred to the "very difficult" second half of 2009 - which included knee and abdominal injuries, the only French Open loss of his career, his withdrawal from Wimbledon, and his parents' separation - and spoke about rebounding strongly.
"I wanted a lot to be back," he said. "And now, I am better. I did better than before.
"That's very huge."
What still needs work, then? Nadal sighed, then rattled off a serious "To Do" list: make sure his serve gets even better, even though he won 106 of 111 service games en route to the title, tying the tournament record for fewest lost; fine-tune his court positioning; improve his slice backhand and volleys; and, he said, his backhand and forehand winners "can improve a little bit more."
"That's what's so frustrating, a little bit: He's getting better each time you play him," said Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champion.
After jetting home to Spain, Nadal plans to take a break for two days, then return to the practice court on Friday.
It barely gives the guy any time to think about his place in history.
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