When Novak Djokovic’s Defeat at Queen’s Resulted From the Conviction of Rafael Nadal to Practice in the Rain

Rafael Nadal is the epitome of resilience and tenacity. He has shown us enough times what sheer dedication and persistence can do. This is not something that Rafa has done occasionally. The player has always been like this.

Since his younger days, he has known that consistency would get him to the desired heights. Reliving the moments of glory, an anecdote of 2008 Queens has resurfaced on Twitter that has swooned the hearts of his fans once again.

Resilient Nadal

Rafael Nadal had been having the best of his year in 2008, winning French Open and swooshing racquets, vanishing his opponents with his swooshing strokes. He had arrived for the grass-court season at Queens after reigning over the clay court major.

Rafa wanted to practice on the court, but at that point it was raining and the nets were being removed. Moreover, all the players had already practiced and were returning to the locker room.

Nadal set out to the grass court and requested groundman Graham Kimpton to let him practice. He said, “Can you put the net back up, please?” Kimpton replied, “But it’s raining Rafa”. To which the Spanish player replied, “I need to practice. Please.”

Kimpton put the nets back up, and Nadal practiced relentlessly in the rain.

This was the same tour in which he had defeated Ivo Karlovic in the quarter-finals, Andy Roddick in the semis and Novak Djokovic in the finals. This anecdote shows the inherent nature of the player who has always imbibed the values of hard work and persistence.

Persistence of Rafael Nadal that didn’t fade away with age

This has stayed with Rafa even in 2022, when he stayed resilient and played despite his injury.

Even though he took a break in between, it did not hold him back to compete in his favorite clay court major.

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Rafael Nadal has become the first male tennis player to clinch 22 grand slam titles, leaving his contemporaries and arch rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at 20 grand slam titles each.

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The player is undergoing a new treatment for his injury and we wish for his quick recovery and smashing comeback.