By Scoop Malinowski | Saturday, June 9, 2018
Beating Rafael Nadal is one of the toughest tasks in tennis. Players share their experience detailing what it feels like to face Nadal.
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Facebook
Dominic Thiem describes facing Rafael Nadal on clay as the toughest challenge in sport.
Thiem will take another shot at the 10-time Roland Garros champion in tomorrow's French Open final.
More: Thiem Talks Plan For Rematch
The eighth-ranked Austrian has defeated Nadal on clay in each of the last two years.
Thiem is one of the few men in the world with a one-handed backhand to beat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on red clay—and remains the last man to defeat the world No. 1 on clay. Thiem's 7-5, 6-3, sweep of Nadal in the Madrid quarterfinals last month gives him unique insight into mission improbable.
Thiem says the secret to defeating the king of clay on dirt is simple: Red-line your game or get run over.
"The first moment on he doesn't give you any air to breath," Thiem told the media in Madrid last month. "So basically, if you want to beat him or if you want to compete well with him you have to do the same.
"You have to be on fire from the first moment on or if you don't do that it happens what happened to me in Monte-Carlo—he just kills you."
Beating the 10-time Roland Garros champion on his beloved red clay is one of the toughest tasks in tennis history.
But what does it feel like to face Nadal on any court?
Author and long-time tennis journalist Scoop Malinowski, a Tennis Now contributor, set out to find out.
Malinowski interviewed more than 50 ATP players, including Thiem, for his fourth book, Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Pat Cash, Donald Young, Daniel Nestor, Justin Gimelstob, James Blake and Marat Safin are among the players, who recount their personal experiences of Nadal and recall their first impressions meeting Rafa.
Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion is now available on Amazon.com. The 220-page book retails for $9.99.
An excerpt from Facing Nadal is here.
Guillermo Canas: "I think he has the best mind on the Tour...by far."
Novak Djokovic: "Definitely biggest rivalry I have in my tennis career."
Sergiy Stakhovsky: "He's not going to stop until he can destroy you."
Teymuraz Gabashvili: "He always gives you a chance to play good."
Stefan Koubek: "Nadal's an animal. He looks like one and he plays like one [smiles]. But he's really a nice guy I have to say."
Daniel Nestor: "He's like a left-handed Jack Sock with the forehand (interview was done in Newport just days after Sock and Vasek Pospisil won the 2015 Wimbledon doubles title).
"Yeah, I mean the ball comes off Rafa's racquet huge. Both sides. He has good instincts for doubles too, which you wouldn't think because he doesn't play a lot. He's an amazing player. There's so much authority, it's like, the ball—you have that feeling it's knocking you off balance."
Question: Lasting memory or anecdote of Rafa on or off court?
Daniel Nestor: "Just a classy guy. Off the court he's a down to earth guy. A lot of the top guys have their entourages doing everything for them, but you get the feeling he's worked hard his whole life to get to the top and he hasn't forgotten where he's come from. That kind of feeling, he does things for himself, he doesn't need people doing things for him. Just a genuine guy. He always has time for people. And friendly. You wouldn't expect someone ranked number one in the world and dominated for so long to behave that way but he does. Which is nice."
Nadal leads doubles series 4-2
2010 Indian Wells Final: Nadal/Marc Lopez d. Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic, 7-6, 6-3
2009 Doha Final: Nadal/M. Lopez d. Nestor/Zimonjic, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
2008 Queen’s Club: Nadal/Robredo d. Nestor/Zimonjic, 5-7, 6-3, 10-3
2007 Barcelona: Nadal/B. Salva-Vidal d. Nestor/Zimonjic, 7-6, 6-3
2006 Madrid: Nestor/Knowles d. Nadal/F. Lopez, 4-6, 7-5, 11-9
2005 Miami: Nestor/Knowles d. Nadal/F. Lopez, 7-6, 7-6
Dominic Thiem on facing Nadal at Roland Garros: "I faced him in Paris where obviously he lost one match in his career. It was maybe...it's one of the biggest challenges in, not only tennis, but in all sport...to face Rafa in Paris. But it was a good experience for me and I think it helped me a lot."
Question: Did anything surprise you about being on the court with him live, instead of seeing him on TV or from the side?
Dominic Thiem: "It was completely new. It was my first year last year on the Tour and I knew everything, everybody only from the TV. And then all of a sudden I was matched in Paris against the nine-time champion. So it was a very good experience and also helpful."
Question: What did you learn that day?
Dominic Thiem: "That I still (have) a long way to go [smiles]."
Stefan Kozlov hit with Nadal at the 2014 Miami Open on Key Biscayne:
“It was one of the craziest feelings I ever had, to be honest. The first couple of minutes I was trying to move my feet as fast as I could and swing as hard as I could. And the balls were just slicing off my string because of the spin. I don’t know if everyone felt that before or it’s just me. The first five minutes there with Rafa were one of a kind. Then after that, the second day I hit with him, I actually had one of the best practices of my life. So I got used to his ball after one day.”
Question: Rafa asked you back for the second day?
Stefan Kozlov: “Yeah, we hit for like four days.”
Question: Lasting memory of this experience?
Stefan Kozlov: “It took me like two hours to get into the stadium. I was waiting at the stadium entrance for two hours because they (security) didn’t know I was hitting with Rafa. I told them I was hitting with Rafa and they didn’t let me in. It was pretty crazy. Toni (Nadal) came down and helped me. Two hours we waited [smiles].”
Radek Stepanek: “It’s always a standout moment to play Nadal. We played seven, eight or nine times, maybe more. Always challenging, very much so. He’s the biggest fighter on the Tour I have ever seen. Playing him, for me, is always good because he plays from the back of the court. I try to create the play, not giving him much. A few matches I got really close, but never beat him.”
Question: Your first memory of Rafael Nadal?
Radek Stepanek: “My first memory was we played in Davis Cup, deciding match in Czech Republic at two-all. For me, that moment was very disappointing loss because of playing as a team competition, which means a lot to me. So this was for me a tough defeat.”
Question: Do you enjoy to play Rafa, or is it too difficult to be enjoyable?
Radek Stepanek: “Since I never beat him, it’s difficult to play him. For everybody I think. I’m not the exception, we are all trying to beat him.”
Question: Lasting memory of Rafa on or off court, that maybe captures his essence?
Radek Stepanek: “For me, a great fighter on the court. Biggest fighter ever. Great person also, off the court. He’s very respectful to other guys, to all the players. He’s a really true champion.”
Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion is now available on Amazon.com. The 220-page book retails for $9.99.