Two words that define Rafael Nadal and his passion for tennis are grit and determination. How many times has the clay king left his fans in awe by carrying on despite carrying an injury? Just last year, he marched into Roland Garros with a chronic foot injury. Paying no heed, the Spaniard defeated the defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals and then Casper Ruud in the finals in straight sets. That is the kind of mentality that sets him a class apart and a former F1 champ feels Fernando Alonso has got that in him as well.

Tired of driving arguably sub-par cars for years after his dual world championship wins, Alonso called it quits in 2018. However, his love for the sport brought him back, turning his retirement into a 2-year hiatus. The Asturian is 41 now and yet hasn’t shown any signs of stopping. In fact, his hunger to compete is rejuvenated ever since he moved to Aston Martin and bagged three back-to-back podium finishes.

Rafael Nadal and Fernando Alonso termed very similar athletes for their mental strength

If we take the recent trends in F1 into consideration, not many drivers have lasted long enough to compete in their 40s. A man who knows well about doing that is the two-time world champion, Emerson Fittipaldi. In a recent interview, the Brazilian showered praise on Alonso while backing him to continue for much longer.

Speaking with AS, when asked about the recent parallel he drew between Fernando and Roger Federer, Fittipaldi replied, “It is true that I have compared him with Federer because they seem to me to be similar cases in terms of mental power but Nadal is also a valid example, of course. He has spent many years at a very high level and overcoming adversity with injuries, but his ability to overcome everything is strong. Both are references for all athletes, with a lot of experience and very competitive. And Alonso is also in that group of athletes capable of anything due to his mental strength.” [Translated using Google]

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It has been a while since Alonso won a race. He is on a streak of three 3rd place finishes in as many races but Fittipaldi believes the top step of the podium is just around the corner.

Emerson Fittipaldi backs Fernando to win the Monaco GP

It is almost a pre-game ritual for Rafa to pace around his opponent and shadow-practice his shots in the waiting area. More than a ritual, it is a tactic to get into the opponent’s head. Alonso, in his own right, has made a name for himself for playing mind games away from the track. However, he hasn’t won a race in almost 10 years now. That, according to Emerson, is about to change when the circus moves to Monte Carlo.

The 76-year-old said, “He is one of the favorites to win there. We already know that on this particular track the mechanics are the same and anything can happen. The fight for pole position will be vital, as always, because 70% of the time the one who starts first wins the race. Qualifying will be essential and Fernando will do it for sure but, despite the fact that the differences between the cars will be minor, I see two problems for him to win in the Principality: one is Max Verstappen and another is “Checo” Pérez.”

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Nothing would delight Alonso fans more than seeing their hero lift the winner’s trophy once again. But as Fittipaldi said, the challenge from the Red Bull duo will certainly be massive.