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RAFAEL NADAL left tennis last year as a legend of the sport, with 22 Grand Slam tennis titles on his honours list.
Nadal secured Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces at the 2009 Australian Open, although the majority of his success arrived on clay.
The Spanish legend won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles at the French Open, well ahead of any other ATP player.
Nadal also triumphed four times at the US Open, as well as winning twice at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
It is now the first clay season since 2002 without Nadal, who decided to call time on his glittering career late last year.
Casper Ruud can fly on clay in Nadal’s absence, with the latter having beaten the former in his last-ever Grand Slam final.
The 2022 French Open champion was asked in his winning press conference that year if he was surprised by what he had achieved in his career, with Nadal replying: “Well, for sure surprise is surprise.
“If not surprised you win 14 Roland Garros or 22 Grand Slam, it is because you are super arrogant. Honestly, no, I am not this kind of guy.
“I never even dreamt about achieving the things that I achieved.
“Honestly, no, I never considered myself that good.
“So I am just honestly keep going step by step, practice by practice, and always with a clear goal to improve something.
“That’s my mindset during all my tennis career, no? Go on court and every practice with the goal to improve something in my game. I don’t understand the sport another way.
“With that philosophy probably and with a lot of help from a great team next to me and family and friends, everybody who support me and help me during all my tennis career have been important for me, no?
“All the coaches, all the people that have been next to me in some moments, no? I learned from every situation, and not only in a tennis world. I learned a lot in terms of life.
“So that’s all the experiences help me to grow always.”
Ruud has certainly impressed on clay throughout his career, with the Norwegian now aiming for success on the surface at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Two of his Grand Slam final appearances have come on clay, but Ruud was on the receiving end of defeats on both occasions.
He currently occupies seventh in the ATP rankings, dropping one spot and replaced by Jack Draper ahead of Monte-Carlo.
Nadal meanwhile of course reached number one in the world during his glittering career, with all 14 of his French Open finals going his way. – tennismagazine/Sports Reporter.
Online Reporter