The Monte-Carlo Masters is in full swing, although with its star competitor missing in 2024. Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas recently got together on the sidelines to feature in a video created by the organizers. It showcases a few of the all-time great plays from the previous editions of the tournament and has the tennis pros reacting to them. And who would be the star of the show other than the King of Clay?

One of the plays showcased in the video is of Rafael Nadal, although the one that these three react so viscerally to does not include the other Big 3. The play by Nadal is so outrageously brilliant that it has the three residents of Monaco shaken.

‘Rafa is Rafa and he makes miracles’- Stefanos Tsitsipas on Rafael Nadal

The video which sees Djokovic, Dimitrov, and Tsitsipas reacting to the brilliant plays is titled “The Best Ever Plays At The Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.” After going through a few plays, the three tennis pros are shown a play by Rafa against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman, and the three are blown away by it. Reacting to the almost inhuman capabilities of Nadal, Dimitrov says, “Oh that was scandalous from Rafa, I remember that one.”

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Giving a reaction that can be counted as a testament to the Spaniard’s abilities, Djokovic admits seeing this play many times, “Yeah we’ve seen this a couple of times.” Tsitsipas believes that Nadal is a magician on the court and has the capabilities to do things most can’t think of, “Rafa is Rafa and he makes miracles.”

The play being reacted to is from a quarter-final clash between then world No.1 Rafa and Diego Schwartzman who was ranked 36 at the time. The play happened in the first game of the second set where Schwartzman was serving. The Argentinian managed to hit an unpickable vicious inside-out forehand but Rafa, just like he has done many times, scrambled to pick the shot and buried it down the line. Nadal won the match 6-4, 6-4 to cruise into the semi-finals. Successfully defending his crown, the Spaniard also won the tournament.

The kind of dominance Rafa has projected on clay is incomparable, and we might not even see it ever again. However, the question is, how is Nadal so good on the clay? Let’s have a look at what makes him so special.

Rafale Nadal’s topspin makes the opponents spin!

The first and the most prominent reason would be the surface itself. The clay court is bouncier and slower which makes the Spaniard’s heavy topspins even more unplayable. The clay also renders huge service bombs ineffective, allowing the returner to have a good look at the ball. Big serves have historically not fared well on clay courts.

Rafa has never had a big server but what he lacks in speed in serve he makes up for it in the angle. The left-handed Spaniard serves at a greater angle than the right-handed players and adds his heavy topspin to it, making the ball bounce more.

The most evident reason is his unending ammunition and his playing platters. His unending stamina and superior athleticism tire most of the players out, adding to that his ability to pick the opponent’s best shots, gives you the best recipe for a mid-match heartbreak. One more reason is his ability to construct points, which is facilitated by his stamina and shot patterns.

Perhaps we will never see another King of Clay, or at least not anytime soon. Rafa will be playing at the ATP Barcelona Open next week onwards amidst injury woes, and while the fans can’t win points for Rafa, they can give him a record-breaking turnout for sure!

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