Nadal: Storied career, rare legacy

One of the greatest chapters in tennis history came to a conclusion in the Spanish city of Malaga on Tuesday when Rafael Nadal swung his racquet, professionally, for one last time in the Davis Cup Finals.

Ever since he beat then World No 1 Roger Federer as a bouncy 17-year-old at the Miami Masters in March 2004, one knew the Spaniard was headed for greatness.

Nadal, with his sleeveless vests and three-quarter pants, was already making waves on the junior circuit but when he took down the big fish at one of the premier ATP events, in their first ever meeting, a statement was made.

There was no stopping the Spaniard as he went about scaling one peak after another despite his body breaking down badly with every conquest.

He won a mind-boggling 22 Grand Slams (which at one stage was the record for most majors amongst men until his great rival Novak Djokovic – 24 – surpassed him), bagged 92 titles, clinched two Olympic golds (one singles and one doubles), secured at least one tour-level title for 19 consecutive seasons, and finished as the No. 1-ranked player for five years.

More astounding was his dominance on clay, where he was almost unbeatable. With a bandana around his head and prancing around the red dirt like a Gladiator, he bullied countless players into submission with his vicious top spin-heavy forehands.

At the Roland Garros, where a statue of his is erected, he won 14 French Open titles – most by a player at a single Slam, a record which many have dubbed as impossible to match. He also won 62 titles on the surface, earning the moniker – ‘King of Clay’.

He also shared epic rivalries with his great friend Federer and Djokovic; some of his matches against the duo became cult classics and inspired a generation of players to pursue the sport.

Beyond the accolades, what stood out was Nadal’s down-to-earth demeanour. While he fought tenaciously on the court, not once did he lose his cool and break a racquet, living up to the promise he made as a kid to his uncle and long-time coach Toni Nadal.

He was gracious in defeat and humble in victory, an extremely rare breed in the dog-eat-dog world of elite sport. In his farewell speech, he said that’s how he wanted to be remembered – a “good person” from a small village in Mallorca who followed his dreams and achieved more than what he had dreamt of.

Rafael Nadal was, at once, a champion relentless on the court and an unassuming man who could separate himself from the superstar-athlete trappings off it. His will be a legacy hard to match.