According to the former world No. 9 Nicolas Almagro, Rafael Nadal’s accomplishments in the field of tennis are ‘beyond the reach of any human being’. The athlete also declared that the difficulty of his experience playing against Nadal in the French Open was like ‘going to a slaughterhouse.’
Nadal recently announced his retirement from the sport. About his retirement, Almagro stated: “If injuries had spared him, he would have continued trying, I have no doubt about it. It’s a shame, it’s a sad day for world sport.”
He added: “He is one of the greatest that a mother could have given to world sport, a reference, a legend, an example in all aspects… Things in life… We knew that sooner or later he would arrive, but it is a hard blow because he leaves a very big void that is very difficult to fill… “We have Carlitos [Alcaraz] there, present and future, but I think what Rafa has achieved is beyond the reach of any human being.”
Almagro lost 15 of his matches against the 22-time Grand Slam champion, winning only two sets and earning only one win in his 16 meetings with Nadal.
Nadal will retire after the 2024 Davis Cup Final 8 stage, which will be held in Malaga from November 19 to 24.
The athlete admitted: “Will I be ready for the Davis Cup? Emotionally, yes, that’s for sure; physically and tennis-wise, I still have a month ahead of me… I will prepare, I will try to be in shape to help the team win. If I feel ready and the captain feels the same way, it will be his decision. If I don’t feel ready, I will be the first to step away and see how I can help.”
He added: “First, I have to be the one who feels competitive to get into the game, then you can win or lose, that’s part of the sport. If I’m not 100% or if I’m far from winning my match, I won’t go on the court.”
Source: Tennis365