On this day 20 years ago, a 15-year-old teenager named Rafael Nadal wrote the first chapter of what has become a career that later became legendary.
Just a few months ago, the Spanish player came back to win the 2022 Australian Open against Daniil Medvedev, a player a decade younger than him, to win his 21st Grand Slam title.
Yes, Nadal is old, but the old man keeps on winning matches at an impressive rate. All the records and titles are impressive, but what's even more impressive is that he won his first ATP match on April 29th, 2002, in his hometown of Mallorca against Ramón Delgado, exactly 20 years ago.
Nadal was 15 years and 10 months old when he wrote his first chapter, and now, 20 years later, he is still writing chapters in a legendary book. During those years on the ATP Tour, the Spaniard has fought mainly two rivals.
One of them, Roger Federer, has an incredible respect for fellow legend, and he spoke only highly about Nadal, who celebrates his 20th year on the ATP Tour.
"Never underestimate a great champion. Your incredible work ethic, dedication and fighting spirit are an inspiration to me and countless others."
Novak Djokovic is another player who has been fighting Nadal fiercely on a tennis court, and according to the Serbian, without his rival, he would have never become the player that he is today.
"Nadal has historically and throughout my career been the greatest rival I ever played against. Those encounters have made me the player I am today."
There has never been a player as dominant on one surface as Nadal, and that's one of his qualities that Nick Kyrgios, a player who clashed with the Spanish legend before, recognizes.
"Honestly I don't think we'll ever get to see anything like that again, someone so dominant on one surface. You could argue he's the greatest ever."
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