Humility can be a pretty rare thing in a competitive world unless you’re Rafael Nadal! The 38-year-old Spaniard has been synonymous with resilience, grit, and an unyielding spirit on the court. However, when it came to his nature off the court, well, his humility was parallel to none! Now, since Nadal has already taken his retirement from the racquet sport, it’s time for us to take a look back and celebrate his incredible journey. Recently, Roger Federer’s former coach revealed how Rafael Nadal’s “only downside was also his biggest asset.“

What is he talking about, though? The 61-year-old American tennis coach, Paul Annacone recently appeared at the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast. During the podcast, he spoke about Rafael Nadal’s incredible ability to play every single point as if his life is dependent on it. Such was the intensity in his game! Further sharing his thoughts on the 22-time Grand Slam champion, Annacone added, “Rafa’s only downside was also his biggest asset. His only downside was his humility and also his biggest asset.” 

Why did he say that? He further explained, “Because there were times where I’d look at him and wonder how he actually didn’t have bigger ego and he was always so gracious and humble about what he’s doing. That sometimes hindered his ability to step on the court and crush the ball! And when Rafa was vulnerable, he didn’t crush the ball.” After that, Roger Federer’s ex-coach pointed out a few flaws from his previous match against Botic Van de Zandschulp. He explained how Nadal faced multiple issues while playing due to spending a long time on the sidelines before this match.

Annacone further added, “Because of that humility, he didn’t just walk on the court and start ripping balls everywhere…But again, the biggest liability even if you have one is humility, and if you swap that with how gracious that is and also an asset that it. I’ll take that.” However, this isn’t the first time that Paul Annacone was spotted talking about Rafael Nadal’s incredibly humble nature. Previously, in 2021, he spoke about the same after seeing Nadal showcasing his humility and kind side as he fulfilled the dream of an old man. 

Talking about that heartwarming moment, Rafael Nadal met a 97-year-old man who dreamt of meeting him, and not only that, he even hit some shots with the old man at the Rafa Nadal Academy. After seeing this touching moment, Annacone said, “This is so amazing. Talk about his sport for a lifetime, this gentleman getting to hit with Rafa is such a thrill. But look how well he plays still. It’s amazing to watch this, and this is very typical of Rafa Nadal of doing something like this, shows his humility and class. But what a great day for that 97-years old.” Let’s take a look at some other reactions from the tennis world on Rafael Nadal’s “biggest asset.“

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have seen the humble side of Rafael Nadal

During the 2022 US Open, Rafael Nadal said, “You need to be humble enough to go through this process and accept that you need to fight, and you need to accept that you are going to suffer.” Be it win or defeat, he never changed his personality! Reflecting on the same, Iga Swiatek recently shared a moment from the 2021 French Open. She said, “I remember in 2021 he lost the semi-finals against Novak [Djokovic] and I saw him because we were all staying at the same hotel because of the COVID. I saw him somewhere in the hotel and I told him that I even cried when he lost. He was so calm, and he said, ‘That’s just tennis and life goes on and there are gonna be different goals in the future.’“

These scenes are pretty rare! But, how much of an impact did that short interaction have on Swiatek’s life? “I was like, ‘Wow, this person really knows how to deal with losing, even your favorite tournament.‘ I realized that off the court you also need to learn on how to deal with stuff to be a better player on the court,” said Swiatek. Even Coco Gauff once shared a similar story featuring Rafael Nadal from their meeting during the Paris Olympics.

She spoke about how Rafael Nadal always made time for her. Be it congratulating her on her successes or trading pins during a late-night shuttle ride in Paris, the Spaniard always found a way to bring a smile to her face. Further reflecting on her thoughts on receiving the pin from Nadal during the Olympics, she said, “Yeah, just something like that I’ll remember. And something I’ll definitely tell my kids because it meant a lot to me.” 

Perhaps that’s why even Yannick Hanfmann once said, “He (Rafa) has this ferocious energy on the court, but off the court, he’s this really humble, really nice, person. … He’s an incredible role model for anyone to look at.” Share your thoughts on the humble nature of the ‘King of Clay.’