Lucky to have watched Nadal play: International Tennis Hall of Fame president Patrick McEnroe

November 19 will forever be etched as a bittersweet day in tennis history. One of the game’s all-time legends bid adieu to the court in front of home fans in Malaga. Even though he could not bow out on a winning note, the world of tennis will remember him as the boy who played every point as his life depended on it. 

Rafael Nadal played his final professional tennis match in a Davis Cup match against Botic van de Zandschulp of Netherlands in the Davis Cup Final 8 quarterfinal, where the 22-time Grand Slam winner was defeated in straight sets. 

10 days after Nadal’s retirement PBS News caught up with International Tennis Hall of Fame president Patrick McEnroe, who shared his memories of the boy from Mallorca. 

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“We were all lucky enough to be blessed to watch him” – that was how McEnroe described the fabled career of the Spaniard. 

Often known for his fierce demeanour on the court, which made him arguably the most intense competitor in tennis history, McEnroe delved into Nadal’s persona off the court, where he was just another person who loved to discuss tennis. 

“I think it was his demeanour off the court and the fact that he was so humble. When he talked about his game, and he talked about the moment, you really felt that what he said was so true when he talked about he wanted to be in the fight. He wanted to work hard. It wasn’t just about the wins and losses,” McEnroe said. 

What kept Nadal grounded? 

McEnroe said Uncle Toni’s guidance from a young age was crucial in shaping Nadal’s personality, which extended off the court as well. A family person at heart, it was because of Toni’s pearls of wisdom that kept Nadal’s feet on the ground despite reaching such great heights. 

“He made it more about being a sportsman and being disciplined as a player, but also as a person. And that’s what made him so popular, not just for what he did on the court, but who he was as a person on and off the court,” McEnroe said. 

What made Nadal special?

Reminiscing some of the best moments of Nadal’s career, McEnroe elaborated on Nadal’s strengths like his slingshot forehand, two-handed backhand and excellent volleying capabilities.

“He also became a great all-court player. Remember, he won two Wimbledon titles, including that epic final when he won his first Wimbledon, beating Federer in what many think is the greatest match ever played.”

Part of the Big Three

Nadal, along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic formed the ‘Big Three’ who dominated the world of tennis. With Federer having already retired in 2022, Djokovic is the only remaining player of the legendary trio. And for McEnroe, the world of tennis is unlikely to see anything like the rivalry between the Big Three ever again. 

“Federer set the bar. Then Nadal was right there with him. And then Djokovic, who for a long time was number three behind those big two, just kept creeping up, creeping up and eventually has surpassed all of them now with 24 Majors.

Now, the one regret that I think Nadal probably has, Stephanie, that he will never admit to, but that he missed a lot of Majors because of injury. And he played with so much intensity, so much physicality that, when we first saw him, we thought, this guy’s not going to play until maybe his late 20s. Of course, he ended up playing into his mid, to late 30s.

But I think his dynamic style of play and that ferociousness that he played with eventually caught up to him, but it was still remarkable to see that both Federer, he now Djokovic have been able to play at a high level into their mid to late 30s.”

(excerpts taken from PBS News’ interview with International Tennis Hall of Fame president Patrick McEnroe)