Frances Tiafoe, in an exclusive podcast, once revealed his views on the legendary tennis player, Rafael Nadal. He expressed his appreciation and concerns about the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Rafael Nadal and Frances Tiafoe have very different career trajectories. However, according to Tiafoe, the gap on the court isn’t as big right now. The 24-year-old American claimed that he had gained experience and won’t be as anxious when facing off against his illustrious rival.

Tiafoe once shared his views on the elegant Rafael Nadal

After shocking Rafael Nadal at the US Open, Tiafoe was extremely pleased with how he responded in his subsequent matches. Tiafoe is currently enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 17 after having a successful season. With Nadal serving less frequently than usual due to an abdominal injury sustained at Wimbledon, Tiafoe took his chances in the return games. The Spaniard nonetheless attempted to impose his strokes and set the pace from the baseline by drawing on his vast experience. However, Tiafoe ultimately triumphed in the round of 16 of the US Open, his biggest victory on the ATP Tour to date.

In an exclusive podcast in March, Tiafoe said, “He (Rafael Nadal) could play all the shots he faces. Nadal has made the game look so easy. He is a great ambassador for a sport um, but then again it’s like Rafa was crazy. I mean Rafa, the amount of respect I have for him is…”

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Tiafoe further added, “He knows it, everyone knows it and to do it at 35 years. Dude was talking about quitting tennis bro…You know Rafa, there’s a ticking bomb on it, but you say that and he still won the Australian Open. I’m saying like it’s crazy.”

Tiafoe’s career to date – peaking at the right time!

At the 2018 Delray Beach Open, Tiafoe won his first and only ATP championship. He became the youngest American player to win an ATP Tour event since Andy Roddick in 2002. In 2015, Tiafoe became a professional and began acclimating to the demands of the senior tour. He entered the top 100 in the world and started to make a name for himself at the majors. In 2019, he made it to the Australian Open quarterfinals before falling to Nadal.

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Nadal, his motivational rival, took home the Australian Open and French Open titles in January and June of this year, respectively. The Spaniard also advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals in July 2022, but withdrew due to his painful torn abdominal muscle. He was all set to launch his bid for a third Grand Slam title this season, before encountering stiff competition from Tiafoe in the round of 16. Let us know who you think is a better player in your comments below.