It is well known on the ATP tour that Rafael Nadal is one of the most humble and down-to-earth persons on the professional circuit. Recently, Martina Navratilova, 18-time Major champion and former World No. 1, reiterated that in Indian Wells, and also shared a nice anecdote about the same.

Navratilova has high praise for Rafael Nadal

Navratilova is one of the all-time greats of the game. She has 18 Grand Slam singles titles to her name and is one of the greatest fighters both on and off the court. She spoke about how Rafael Nadal is the paragon of patience and recalled how he never says no to anyone, even when he is extremely busy.

“And you know, he gives you all the time. I was in a gym, and we’re both on the stationary bike and somebody asked him for an autograph on the stationary bike and I would have totally told him off, he said, ‘of course’ and he says, well, he’s on the bike,” she recalled.

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“He’s just, he doesn’t say no to anybody. I applaud his patience. I applaud his perseverance. I applaud his excellence. If I had a hat on, I would take it off,” Navratilova added about Nadal’s pleasing personality.

Nadal records career-best start in 2022

The foot injury forced Nadal to miss the second half of the 2021 season. He had surgery and was on crutches for multiple weeks during that time. However, he made his much-awaited comeback Down Under at the beginning of the season.  Despite being out of action for several months, Nadal’s supreme performances so far this season have simply dazzled one and all.

Rafael Nadal won the Melbourne Summer Set and then won his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open 2022. He then won his 91st career title at the Mexican Open in Acapulco. Currently, he is taking part at the Indian Wells Masters in the Californian desert and is unbeaten so far this year. His 19 match winning streak is his career-best start to a season. He next faces rising Spanish youngster and dubbed by many as ‘the next big thing in tennis’, Carlos Alcaraz for a place in yet another Masters 1000 final.

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An intriguing and mouth-watering clash between the two Spaniards awaits us in the desert on Saturday. Rafael Nadal is eyeing his record-equalling 37th Masters 1000 title at this year’s event.