"I always play with a lot of pressure" - reveals Nadal
ATP
Rafael Nadal recently revealed that he plays with a lot of pressure, even though some might think that's not the case.
Nadal is one of the most successful tennis players in the history of the sport. At the moment, he is the man with the most Grand Slam titles ever, having won 22 majors.
Many analysts often say that some of his opponents lose matches even before stepping onto the court against him since there's a certain aura surrounding the legendary Spaniard. But he doesn't have it easy either. He's the player that everyone wants to beat.
Although it often doesn't seem like that, during a recent interview with Esquire, Nadal revealed that he always plays with pressure when he is on the tennis court.
"I don't consider myself an unbreakable man, far from it, and in fact, in my case, I always play with a lot of pressure on the court. Another thing is to overcome it, yes."
Nadal tried explaining that every tennis player and every athlete has to deal with pressure. What separates those that are good from those that are great is how they are able to deal with that pressure.
"The pressure exists for everyone, and the important thing is to know how to manage it to be able to do what you want. In my case, it's obviously winning that match, that tournament that gets complicated for whatever reason."
The Spanish player also explained that those who are close to him help him to mentally prepare well for his matches.
"We all give in and break sometimes. That allows us to get stronger in the next attack. My father, my mother, my sister, my uncles... I think they are my immediate reference and those who, together with my team, have made me better in every way. My closest friends and some public personalities, too."
