"Rafa for the way he plays" - Tommy Robredo picks Rafael Nadal as toughest opponent to play

Monday, 25 July 2022 at 17:00

Updated at Saturday, 14 December 2024 at 22:55

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byZachary Wimer

Former ATP World No. 5, Tommy Robredo, picked Rafael Nadal as the toughest opponent he has ever played in his tennis career.

Robredo played many tennis greats over the years, but Nadal for him always stuck out as the toughest opponent. That's nothing strange or unusual, as many players would agree that Nadal is the toughest player they have ever played.

That's mostly due to his high skill level as well as his competitive spirit that can see him beat players with a broken rib, a numb foot, or even a 6 cm tear in his abdomen.

In a recent interview, Robredo explained why Nadal was the most difficult opponent to face for him, and one of the reasons was the fact that the 22-time Grand Slam champion almost never gives up, running for every single ball.

"Rafa [was the toughest to play against], for the way he plays, with this speed of the ball, the spin of his forehand, for the difference due to him being left-handed and for the way that he runs after every ball as if it was the first."

"I don't say the others are easy... but for me, Rafa had something that makes you suffer more inside the court than the rest."

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Robredo has never beaten Nadal in his career, but they once teamed up to win a doubles trophy in Cincinnati.

Like many, Robredo was aware of Nadal's qualities, and according to the former player, everyone knew that Nadal would be special from the moment they saw him.

"Everyone who saw Rafa during the first year could understand that he would go on to become a great player. But he went much higher and became one of the best sporting athletes in the world, if not the best… that's something that's not easy to realize but that he achieved it in a great way."