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Rafa Nadal Indian Wells 2022

‘No one in sport history is as mentally strong as Rafa’ – Andrey Rublev lavishes praise on Nadal


Rafa Nadal has the strongest mind of any athlete that’s ever lived, according to World number 7 Andrey Rublev

Rafa Nadal showed in the final of the 2022 Australian Open that his mental strength is the greatest ever seen in the history of sport according to Russian Andrey Rublev, who watched the match supporting his compatriot Daniil Medvedev

Rublev was speaking to the Times of India when he was asked about that marathon Slam final which newly crowned World number one Medvedev seemingly had on his racket at two sets to love up until Nadal staged one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of the sport.

Rublev said, “No one athlete in the history of sport is as (mentally) strong as Rafa. In an individual sport you can struggle a lot mentally. If you fight with someone close on the morning of the match, you are disturbed, but you still need to play. In a team sport, if you are not in a good mood, but your team is good and in the right mood, you don’t feel it. Rafa is the only one who manages it, doesn’t matter what happens outside the court. Somehow he’s able to completely turn it off and just be in the moment. He can do that even when he’s losing.”

Andrey Rublev is competing at the Indian Wells Masters this week where he faces American Frances Tiafoe in the 3rd round.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.