Yannick Noah cites Rafael Nadal’s humbleness as the primary reason why he considers him superior to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in his books

As a celebrity, you are judged on two parameters. It’s not always what you do in your field that inspires your fans. Your off-field behavior is more than important. The way you treat general people, your competitors, your fans, and everyone else matters.

There are many instances of celebrities talking with others, showing a lot of arrogance. The crowd never approves of that, and a black mark is stamped on the name of the star. It’s important that every superstar stays level-headed and respects all that he has achieved over the years.

Well, a similar discussion has popped up in our world of tennis. Yannick Noah, a former French Open champion, recently gave his verdict on the Big 3. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have achieved greatness in their own ways over the years. It was always going to be difficult to find out the best with the records they hold. All three have 90+ titles to their names, and Federer has 100+. So the Frenchman sought a different way to find the best.

He went on the off-field route. Rafael Nadal picked over the other 2 purely on how he is with others around him. He noted, “Rafa, of the 3, is the 1 I like most. He respects ballboys, and transports people when there are no cameras. If you think beyond what people measure Rafa is #1 by far. He won 22 slams & when you see him he’s still the same humble guy.” For Noah, it was the nature of the player off the field that mattered most.

How he treats the people around him makes the difference between him and the rest. He also specifically mentioned that Nadal’s nature is the same even when he is off camera. He doesn’t really do it just to impress others. It is in the Spaniard’s nature to be kind and humble. This behavior of his has attracted a lot of love over the years. And there is no secret why he is such a global superstar.

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Kind and Humble Moments of Rafael Nadal

There have been many wholesome moments that prove Nadal’s humble nature. The first one is from the 2020 Australian Open. A fierce Rafael Nadal forehand hit a ball girl on the head. It was a scary moment. Nadal ran to the ball girl, gave her a kiss, and said sorry. He later went and had a chat with her family. This moment brought a smile to all his fans.

The second one is from the 2019 US Open. While signing autographs, Nadal noticed that a young fan was getting suffocated as everyone was moving forward to get the prestigious Rafa autograph. Nadal noticed that and first made sure he was fine. He then signed his baseball cap, and that once again impressed everyone.

The third incident is from 2018 when Nadal’s town, Mallorca was flooded. He came out and helped as much as he could. He also opened the Rafa Nadal Academy to provide shelter to the victims. His fans celebrated this moment. Once again, Nadal proves why he is so loved across the globe.

In case you missed it:

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