‘Agassi’s Fighting Spirit’ – Rafael Nadal Once Explained How Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi Inspired Him With Completely Different Personalities

Rafael Nadal has been a tennis fan since he was a very young child and frequently refers to himself as a sports enthusiast. The Spaniard learned a lot from the previous tennis era while growing up and makes this evident in his tennis matches. He has been a great admirer of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. In an old interview, he talked about these idols and how they helped him become a better player. 

It has been a season full of ups and downs for the 22-time Grand Slam champion. On one side, he won two Grand Slam titles, and on the other; he was constantly struggling with various injuries. Currently, he ranks second in the ATP rankings.

Rafael Nadal opens up about what he learned from his idols

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, Nadal, opened up in an interview last year, about what he learned from his childhood idols. He has admired two tennis players with different personalities, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. While one was calm and composed like the Spaniard on the court, the other was an explosive character who wore his heart on his sleeve.

He said, “When I was a kid, I was a great admirer of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, and I loved watching the game between them. I learned from Sampras’ aggressive playing style and Agassi’s fighting spirit. The duel between them was very inspiring since they are of two different types.”

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The former world number one has taken a little part from both players, and that has made a huge difference in his career. Along with both the American tennis stars, he was also administrative for his coach Carlos Mayo. 

Is Nadal the greatest player of all time?

The Spaniard has been in impressive form at a crucial juncture in his career. He has won 22 Grand Slam titles with other accolades and stands firm in front of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who have 21 and 20 major titles, respectively. Incredibly, the world number two has never lost a final match that he played at the Roland Garros. 

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At 36, he currently stands second in the rankings after the Spanish teenage sensation, Carlos Alcaraz. Currently, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is gearing up for the South America Exhibition tour, which will start at the end of November.

Do you consider Rafael Nadal the GOAT? Let us know in the comments.