“I call Rafael Nadal the Professor” Boris Becker asks new players to learn handling pressure from the Spaniard


“I call Rafael Nadal the Professor” Boris Becker asks new players to learn handling pressure from the Spaniard

Boris Becker and Rafael Nadal

World No. 5 Rafael Nadal stunned everyone when he won the 2022 Australian Open finals to become the only man on the planet to have 21 career Grand Slam titles in the singles discipline. Nadal had to overcome the challenge of reigning Grand Slam champion and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, who despite having won the first two sets could not close the match as Nadal won the title after 5 hours and 24-minute battle.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nadal winning a Grand Slam was not a surprise but the circumstances in which he clinched the title in Australia was very special. From considering retirement a few weeks ago and having not played in a Grand Slam match since his 2021 French Open exit, not many gave Nadal the chance as he was returning to action after having walked with the help of crutches earlier.

Even in the finals, Medvedev won the first two sets and had three break points to his name in the 3rd set and had he won then, he would have taken a 4-2 lead in the 3rd set as well. Nadal however managed to hold his service and clawed his way back into the match to win the title past midnight in front of a packed Melbourne Park and script history.

“I call him the professor of mental health. Maybe some of these young players should ask him and listen to him about how to handle pressure because he has found a way to overcome very difficult situations in his life and many injuries. What a fighter! What a player! What personality to overcome the final!” said 6-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 Boris Becker in his recent interview with RTVE.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Tennis is better than ever”: Boris Becker on Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Going into the Australian Open this year, the record for most majors won was in a 3-way tie between the Big-3 members of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Nadal. Sharing 61 of the last 76 majors between them, Becker thinks that the sport has benefitted a lot due to these three champions.

“In my time the record was held by Pete Sampras with 14 Grand Slams, and now there are three tennis players with 20 or more. It is an incredible time for tennis. I think that tennis is better than ever thanks to these three tennis players and I hope they continue playing for a long time,” added Becker further during the interview.

Also Read: “There was no clear communication and Novak Djokovic paid a heavy price for it” Boris Becker opines on the Novak-Australian visa saga