Rafael Nadal

[Kamileki]

I consider Rafael Nadal the best volleyer in our game today

Spoiler:

Former 17-time Grand Slam champion Mark Woodforde thinks Rafael Nadal is the best volleyer in the game right now as he feels the Spaniard always perfectly places his volleys. Woodforde, who enjoyed massive doubles success with Todd Woodbridge, admits Nadal’s volleying technique is not always the prettiest but somehow it always lands where it needs to land.

“Even when I’m commentating now and watching, when I see Nadal get to net today, quite often I’ll say it, I consider him the best volleyer in our game today,” Woodforde said on the US Open podcast, per Sportskeeda.

“His technique is not always the prettiest but he’s always volleying into the open court. I hit a ton of low volleys and a ton of half volleys. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this guy hit a half volley, he’s always just in the right place.”

Woodforde praises Nadal’s mental strength

Nadal is a record 22-time Grand Slam champion and many believe his mental strength has been one of the keys behind his massive success. “I think someone like Nadal, to be able to push that reset button as many times as he has,” Woodforde said.
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“At two sets to love, it’s not about the belief that you can win from that, it’s the understanding of not giving up. I really love this ability of Nadal and all the times that he has adversity, he just doesn’t show it, he’s not going to give his opponent a leg up.”

In this year’s Australian Open final, Nadal was down by two sets to Daniil Medvedev. In the third set, Medvedev had a 3-2 lead and three consecutive break points in the sixth game. Down by two sets and facing three consecutive break points, Nadal created a stunning comeback and won the Australian Open.

After the final, Nadal admitted it was one of his greatest victories. Once again, Nadal’s stunning mental strength was on full display.

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[Kamileki]

[Kamileki]

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[Damian]

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[Kamileki]

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[Damian]

Nadal Hits Centre Court At Wimbledon Before Continuing Grand Slam Pursuit

Spoiler:

Spaniard is a two-time champion at the grass-court major
Rafael Nadal arrives at Wimbledon in a position he has never been in.

Before this year, the Spaniard had never triumphed at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the same season. Now he is halfway to becoming the first men's singles player to win the Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

One year ago, Novak Djokovic claimed the first three majors of the year before falling in the US Open final. Nadal, a two-time Wimbledon champion, will try to move closer to achieving the feat at SW19, where he will be the second seed.

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The lefty will also attempt to move further clear of his chief rivals in the race for the most major titles. Nadal earned his 22nd Slam at Roland Garros, while Djokovic and Roger Federer own 20 each. It is the 36-year-old's first appearance at The All England Club since 2019, when he lost in the semi-finals against Federer.

Both Nadal and Djokovic practised on Centre Court Thursday, a historic moment at Wimbledon. It was the first time that the tournament has allowed practice on Centre Court and No. 1 Court before the first day of the event. Organisers permitted it in order to help the players get used to the conditions and break in the courts.

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Nadal trained with Italian Matteo Berrettini, who advanced to his first major final at Wimbledon one year ago. The Italian underwent right hand surgery in March, but has quickly returned to form on the grass. Berrettini has won all nine matches he has played since his nearly three-month absence, lifting trophies in Stuttgart and at The Queen's Club.

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Djokovic is 79-10 at the grass-court major and has won its past three editions. The top seed will chase his seventh Wimbledon trophy and 21st major crown over the coming fortnight.

The Serbian practised on Centre Court with former Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic. The Croatian has found some of his best form in recent weeks, having reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros and The Queen's Club.

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[Nando]

[Damian]

[Kamileki]

[Kamileki]

[Kamileki]

"Here is what Rafa Nadal said at his press conference prior to Wimbledon. The foot, the preparation, the type of ball...":

Spoiler:

Rafa Nadal: "I can walk normally, when I wake up I don't have that pain that I had for a year and a half"
The winner of 22 GS titles is pleased that the treatment on his left foot is working and says that he is enjoying playing the grass three years later.

Rafael Nadal, after six days of training on the Wimbledon courts, spoke for the first time to the media about his feelings before facing the challenge of a third 'Grand Slam' title this season, which could equal Novak Djokovic's mark in the past course.

The tennis player said this Saturday that he is confident of being competitive at the start of Wimbledon after six days training on the grass of the All England Club.

"I'm enjoying playing on grass three years later," Nadal said at his first Wimbledon press conference in three years. "If I'm here it's because things are going well, if not, I wouldn't be. I'm happy ".

The Balearic Islander, who did not play in 2020 due to the tournament suspended due to the pandemic and in 2021 to rest after Roland Garros [actually, because of his foot problem], will play his first match on Tuesday, against the Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo, without having played official matches on this surface, but with two exhibitions at Hurlingham in his pocket.

"I don't know how I'll play [the tournament] really, it's hard to predict. It's probably the hardest tournament to predict. It's a tricky surface where you need to spend days on it. I haven't played anything for three years, this makes it extra tricky. Memory is important, the most recent memory helps on the surface. It has been a logical week, with better moments and worse moments, clearly in an ascending line".

The Spaniard accumulates six practice days in London: "I have trained a lot. Yesterday, I made a disaster of training, I woke up with tired eyes, but then I played well. Today, I also trained well. The most important thing is that the bad moments on court have been shorter every time. The matches have gone quite well for me, I have trained with demanding people.

Nadal was tired of talking about his foot and the problems he has had with it and said that during the tournament he hopes to talk only about tennis.

"I can walk normally every day, when I wake up I don't have that pain that I had for a year and a half. In training in general I have been better. In the last few weeks, I haven't had one of these days that hurts terrible. In general, I'm positive."

Regarding the first six months of the season, Nadal was clear: "The past is passing and sport and life go by very quickly. I don't really think about what I have achieved, it is something that has happened, that is going to be in my museum for the rest of my life, it makes me proud of it. The first six months have not been easy even with all that I have achieved, because of the foot. I would not say that it is a drama, there are other worse things in life, here we are only playing tennis. It has been hard to enter the court with pain and not knowing if I was going to be able to finish the training session or the match".

In addition, Nadal spoke about the conditions of the tournament and his preferences regarding the balls used in the English championship.
"The ball is very heavy, it is a different ball than the one we are used to. These years is a little more hollow than ten years ago. The tendency is to play with more punctured balls. It seems to me a mistake from the tennis point of view. All equal points are played. What I don't like about the change in trend is that the points are repeated too much. People hit him from anywhere because there is no sense of failure. Here this feeling is multiplied, explained the Balearic.

"With such a heavy ball, it's important to move well, to be able to position yourself well. Then it's a court that doesn't give you much thought, when the ball comes to you you have to hit with determination, if you think too much they attack you or you make mistakes. gives the automatisms and the confidence".

[Damian]

Nadal 'Positive In Terms Of Pain' Entering Wimbledon

Spoiler:

Spaniard reached the semi-finals in last Wimbledon appearance in 2019
Rafael Nadal last took the court for a competitive match three weeks ago, when he won his record-extending 22nd Grand Slam singles title and 14th Roland Garros crown. Now set to play Wimbledon for the first time in three years, the 36-year-old enters London halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

But in typical Nadal fashion, the Spaniard is focussing on the present. Fortunately for the second seed, the current situation is positive with regard to his chronic foot injury. After playing Roland Garros with his foot "asleep" as a result of frequent injections, Nadal underwent a new treatment to numb the problematic nerves in his foot for what he hopes is a more permanent solution.

" quite happy about how [it has] evolved," he told the press ahead of his opening-round match against Francisco Cerundolo. "First of all, I can walk normal most of the days, almost every single day. That's for me the main issue. When I wake up, I don't have this pain that I was having for the last year and a half, so quite happy about that.

"And second thing, practising. I have been overall better, honestly. Since the last two weeks, I didn't have not one day of these terrible days that I can't move at all... The feeling and overall feelings are positive, because I am in a positive way in terms of pain, and that's the main thing."

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Like at Roland Garros, Nadal made it clear that he would not discuss his injury during Wimbledon. But before his Tuesday opener, he answered several questions on the topic, admitting he cannot be sure how long the improvement will last.

"Of course, the treatment that I did didn't fix my injury, not improving my injury at all, but can take out a little bit the pain. That's the main goal," he said.

"Honestly, I feel happy because the toughest thing is when you have too much pain — not playing tennis," Nadal added. "Tennis is the second part of your life. Probably the toughest part is having pain on your life on a daily basis. If you don't have pain outside of the tennis, it's fine. Maybe you don't play tennis. But the problem that I have is I have pain walking every single day. That sometimes affects your happiness... and how the attitude is not positive all the time.

"That's all. Positive now. Let's see what can happen in the future."

Nadal was also asked to reflect on his stellar start to the 2022 season, which has seen him claim four trophies in six months, including the year's first two Grand Slams. But the Spaniard is not looking back.

"Past is past," he said. "Sport and life goes so quick, no? I am not a big fan of living on the things that you achieved because sport doesn't give you that time to keep thinking on the things that happened."


Despite the ongoing foot injury and a rib fracture that sidelined him for over a month following his run to the Indian Wells final, Nadal has compiled a 30-3 record in the season — a run of success that has surprised even him.

"I will never say a drama because drama are other things in life. Without a doubt, we are only playing tennis. But in terms of daily suffering, it has been tough in terms of every day going on the court without knowing if I am going to be able to finish the practice the proper way or finish the match the proper way. That's tough to accept.

"But in general terms, it has been an amazing, positive six months in terms of tennis results. I enjoy it because it has been unexpected. But now is the moment to keep going, if I am able to be better with my body. Main thing for me is keep enjoying my daily work and my day-by-day playing tennis."

Nadal's path to a third Wimbledon title could go through sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime — whom he battled in a five-set Roland Garros fourth round — or Eastbourne champion Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals, with fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini potential semi-final opponents.

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[Damian]

"Rano nie mam już bólu, który towarzyszył od półtora roku".

[Damian]

Serena, Swiatek, Raducanu Draw Inspiration From Nadal At Wimbledon

Spoiler:

Spaniard seeking to complete third leg of calendar Grand Slam
Never before has Rafael Nadal entered Wimbledon after winning the year's first two Grand Slam events. But with the 2022 Australian Open and Roland Garros titles in tow, a trophy in his 15th Wimbledon would put him on the brink of the Grand Slam — winning all four majors in the same year. That feat that has not been achieved in men's singles since Rod Laver in 1969.

Tennis fans and players alike have taken note of the 36-year-old's historic season, including many of the WTA's most popular players.

"He's done a lot in 2022. He's been busy," Serena Williams said Saturday in her Wimbledon pre-tournament press conference. "I've always been a Rafa fan... so obviously I'm always rooting for Rafa. He's been really inspiring in everything that he's done this year. And he has a lot more to do."

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Williams named one of her dogs after the Spaniard — Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal, a Yorkshire Terrier. The 40-year-old Williams, who is preparing for her first competitive singles match since last year's Wimbledon, is eager to join Nadal among this season's Grand Slam champions.

WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who captured the Roland Garros singles title earlier this month, is similarly impressed by her fellow Paris champion. The Pole enters Wimbledon on a 35-match winning streak after scoring her second title in the French capital. She also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, where she was able to watch Nadal's five-set comeback against Daniil Medvedev from inside Rod Laver Arena.

"I watched the Australian Open final live and I could see how much work he's putting [in]," she said. "Sometimes when he's not even playing his best tennis, how he's coming back, finding solutions on court, it's a great inspiration.

"For sure, the way he's coping with [the] injury and the pain that he has, it's just the example of how the best kind of athletes deal with that. It's just really inspirational. Only Rafa could do it, you know?"

You May Also Like: Nadal 'Positive In Terms Of Pain' Entering Wimbledon
Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu also had her say on the Spaniard. Though the 19-year-old is firmly in the spotlight as she returns to her native Great Britain for her second Wimbledon, she has managed to find time to watch the likes of Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the practice courts.

"I'm 19... just to be watching Rafa and Novak at such close range, to be able to take part and try to learn from them, walk amongst these great players, it's still special," she said. "I don't think it really ever changes when you're watching those greats. It's amazing to have them around leading such a great example.

"It's only my second Wimbledon, and I'm really new to this still. It's a really special feeling."

Nadal, the second seed at Wimbledon, is set to open his campaign on Tuesday against Francisco Cerundolo. It will be his first competitive action since he lifted the Roland Garros trophy on 5 June.

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[Lucas]

[Nando]

Nadal’s Grand Slam Pursuit: The Spaniard is halfway to a historic Grand Slam for the first time after his triumphs at the Australian Open in January and Roland Garros in June.

The 36-year-old is 30-3 for the season and has been a consistent performer at Wimbledon throughout his career. He holds a 53-12 tournament record and has lifted the trophy there twice, in 2008 and 2010, and Nadal will seek to settle in quickly on the grass in his first-round clash with Francisco Cerundolo.

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