By Scoop Malinowski
At age 31, Rafael Nadal continues to make history, playing perhaps the best tennis of his career. 16-1 this year, Nadal is closing in on his 900th ATP match win, his 17th major title and the $100 million career earnings mark.
Showing no signs of decline or vulnerability, the ATP World No. 1 Nadal has been dominant this year steamrolling his way to titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona. If he can defeat Diego Schwartzman in the round of 16 tomorrow in Madrid, Nadal will break John McEnroe's record of 50 straight sets won on a single surface - in 1984 McEnroe won 49 consecutive sets on indoor carpet.
Scoop Malinowski's book "Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion" explores what it's like to play tennis against Nadal by interviewing over 50 ATP pros about their memories and experiences of sharing a tennis court with the Raging Bull of Mallorca, Spain...
Here is an excerpt of the book...
Guillermo Canas: "I think he has the best mind on the Tour...by far."
Novak Djokovic: "Definitely biggest rivalry I have in my tennis career."
Sergiy Stakhovsky: "He's not going to stop until he can destroy you."
Teymuraz Gabashvili: "He always gives you a chance to play good."
Stefan Koubek: "Nadal's an animal. He looks like one and he plays like one [smiles]. But he's really a nice guy I have to say."
Stefan Kozlov hit with Nadal at the 2014 Sony Open in Key Biscayne:
“It was one of the craziest feelings I ever had, to be honest. The first couple of minutes I was trying to move my feet as fast as I could and swing as hard as I could. And the balls were just slicing off my string because of the spin. I don’t know if everyone felt that before or it’s just me. The first five minutes there with Rafa were one of a kind. Then after that, the second day I hit with him, I actually had one of the best practices of my life. So I got used to his ball after one day.”
Question: Rafa asked you back for the second day?
Stefan Kozlov: “Yeah, we hit for like four days.”
Question: Lasting memory of this experience?
Stefan Kozlov: “It took me like two hours to get into the stadium. I was waiting at the stadium entrance for two hours because they (security) didn’t know I was hitting with Rafa. I told them I was hitting with Rafa and they didn’t let me in. It was pretty crazy. Toni (Nadal) came down and helped me. Two hours we waited [smiles].”
Radek Stepanek: “It’s always a standout moment to play Nadal. We played seven, eight or nine times, maybe more. Always challenging, very much so. He’s the biggest fighter on the Tour I have ever seen. Playing him, for me, is always good because he plays from the back of the court. I try to create the play, not giving him much. A few matches I got really close, but never beat him.”
Question: Your first memory of Rafael Nadal?
Radek Stepanek: “My first memory was we played in Davis Cup, deciding match in Czech Republic at two-all. For me, that moment was very disappointing loss because of playing as a team competition, which means a lot to me. So this was for me a tough defeat.”
Question: Do you enjoy to play Rafa, or is it too difficult to be enjoyable?
Radek Stepanek: “Since I never beat him, it’s difficult to play him. For everybody I think. I’m not the exception, we are all trying to beat him.”
Question: Lasting memory of Rafa on or off court, that maybe captures his essence?
Radek Stepanek: “For me, a great fighter on the court. Biggest fighter ever. Great person also, off the court. He’s very respectful to other guys, to all the players. He’s a really true champion.”
You can order Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion for $9.99 at amazon.com
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