Veteran Rafael Nadal admitted he is more than happy and satisfied with the achievements he savored in his glorious career. Nadal won a total of 92 tour-level titles, including 22 Grand Slams. The Spaniard was also troubled by a plethora of injuries and his foot as well as the hip injury made things difficult for him.
If not for the injuries, it leaves the pundits guessing, what Nadal could have achieved if he hadn’t missed so many tournaments. However, Nadal is happy with the way his career panned out and feels regular injuries made him value his victories more.
Nadal played many Grand Slams after taking pain killers and even went on to win some despite battling pain.
Nadal said, “I believe in having a good and great ambition, but, at the same time, healthy. You reach the end of your career and, honestly, I am not more satisfied than Federer for having 22 and him 20. And I don’t think I would be more satisfied or happy if I had 25, one more than Djokovic’s 24. I say it from the heart. Of course, I would like to be at 25, without a doubt, because that’s what sport is all about, trying to be the best. However, when it is over, you value what has been all together, not if it has been a little more.”
On the other hand, Novak Djokovic has the most Slams in tennis – 24, two more than Nadal and four more than Roger Federer. Nadal tipped Djokovic as the best in history as the Serbian has the best numbers.
The Spaniard said, “I believe that numbers are numbers and statistics are statistics and, in that sense, I think he has better numbers than mine and that is indisputable. It is not beneath me nor do I have an ego big enough to try to disguise a reality that is not. This is the truth. The rest are tastes, inspiration, sensations that one player or the other may transmit to you, that you may like one or the other more. I think that with respect to titles, Djokovic is the best in history and there is nothing to discuss in that.”
The Davis Cup will be the final tournament for Nadal.
