Former French player Olivier Mutis rates Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Opens as the ‘greatest sporting feat’

Olivier Mutis, who remains the only Frenchman to have beaten Rafael Nadal on clay, doesn't have a message for the retiring Spaniard.

Former French player Olivier Mutis rates Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Opens as the ‘greatest sporting feat’

Olivier Mutis, Rafael Nadal (Images via Vosges Matin, X)

Olivier Mutis will remain the only French player to defeat Rafael Nadal on clay. The Spaniard, a few days ago, announced that the Davis Cup in November would be the final tournament of his career.

Nadal, as known in the tennis community, is the greatest player on the red dirt. Even his biggest rivals, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have found him troublesome on clay. The 14 French Opens speaks for itself how tough it used to be to defeat Nadal at Roland Garros during his prime.

YouTube video

Mutis, who had defeated the 38-year-old in Palermo in 2004, didn’t have a message for the retiring Nadal as he joked about not reminding the 22-time Grand Slam champion of his defeat.

FS Video

Winning Roland-Garros 14 times, I would rate it as the greatest sporting feat of all sports combined. It will be unmatchable. But I think it’s still harder to win on different surfaces. If I’m going to send him a message? I’m going to leave him alone. It must be hard enough for him. I’m not going to remind him of this defeat. 

Olivier Mutis said (via RMCsport)

Nadal struggled to keep injuries at bay and has not played much since 2023, with his drop in form. He not only failed to win a title this season but even registered his fourth defeat at the French Open out of the 116 matches he played in the tournament. He lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round, who later went on to reach the final, only to get beaten by Carlos Alcaraz.

RELATED
Nick Kyrgios targeting a Grand Slam title on comeback to “shut people up”
Nick Kyrgios

Toni Nadal doesn’t consider Rafael Nadal the GOAT

Toni Nadal, who used to coach Rafael Nadal and probably played the biggest role in his nephew’s career, knew about his last tournament. Uncle Toni, in an interview with Marca in Spain, talked about the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate and stated that had Nadal not suffered enough from injuries, he would have surpassed Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. 

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal (Image via Imago)

When they ask me who is the best at history, I say: the best at history is Djokovic for everything he has achieved and the one who played the best tennis was certainly Roger Federer, but I think that my nephew would have been the best at history, if he hadn’t been injured so much.

Toni Nadal said
RELATED
WTA rankings update: Is Iga Swiatek still No. 1 after Aryna Sabalenka’s Wuhan Open triumph?
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka

Before the Davis Cup, Nadal is set to feature in the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition tournament in Riyadh. He was last seen in action during the Paris Olympics, where he played singles and doubles (with Carlos Alcaraz).