‘He is amazing’ – Top coach explains why Rafael Nadal is better than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer

Tennis365
March 29, 2020

The former coach of Roger Federer and Pete Sampras believes Rafael Nadal is just a little more special than anyone else who has played the game.

Paul Annacone, who is now an analyst for the Tennis Channel claimed in a debate over who is the true GOAT that Nadal is the man he’d choose to play for him in a ‘match for his life’.

“It is the relentless ability to play every point like nothing else matters except that point,” he said of Nadal, as quoted by the Daily Express.

“Jimmy Connors was very close to that but I’ve never seen anyone do it better than Rafael Nadal.

“It is such a cliche but if you look at the way he plays and someone asked you ‘who would you want to play one match for your life?’ How do you not pick that guy?

“He is amazing. It has been fun to watch and the era that he’s in with the other all-time greats, I just continue to sit back and a lot of times my jaw just hits the table.”

Nadal finished last season as the oldest year-end world number one in history, but has surrendered that ranking to Novak Djokovic this year.

He won his 85th career title in Acapulco though, just before the enforced break due to the coronavirus crisis, and Annacone believes there is a lot more success to come for the Spaniard.

“I hope he stays healthy. I think he’s got a lot more tennis ahead.

“He continues to love the game and as long as he does that and stays healthy, I don’t see him losing at Roland Garros.

“His records will continue to grow and we are going to have to invent new words in the dictionary to describe it.”

Follow us on Twitter @T365Official and like our Facebook page.

Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer