Rafael Nadal is one of tennis’ most successful and recognisable figures, having reached a level of fame that arguably transcends the sport.
And yet, despite his dominance over the ATP Tour alongside Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, he remains hugely grounded.
The Spaniard is always happy to talk about the past, but also has a truly unique outlook on the current state of tennis, from which he has been absent for two years now.
Most recently, whilst speaking to many of the students at the Rafa Nadal Academy, he actually explained why he thinks many of today’s ATP players are actually copying the WTA’s biggest stars.
Rafael Nadal explains how male players are copying WTA players
Asked by one of his students for the biggest difference he’s noticed between the men’s and women’s sport, Rafael Nadal began by admitting: “It’s not an easy answer.”
However, he swiftly found the words: “From my point of view, male players are playing now a little bit the way that the female player plays. Female players, normally they play aggressive; they go for every shot. I really believe that.
Do you think women should play best-of-five set matches?
“I mean, the male players normally have a better ability to move faster, but the female players normally, they are very clear about how they play. They go for the shots in the first ball. I think they are very aggressive on the return. They try to make the points shorter, I think, because they don’t have the ability to move that well.
“Some of them, they go big since the beginning, and I feel that the ATP players, you know, the male players are now playing a little bit more that way.”
The 39-year-old then explained how important it is that the world’s best players can learn from anyone, even their opposite gender. He continued: “So it’s always important to look around towards the different tours, and of course, you can learn from each other.
“No one is perfect. The male tour is not perfect. The female tour is not perfect. Players have room to be better.
“I think the females can learn from the male players about changing a little bit more of the dynamic of the points, most of the girls, I think they play more equal, you know. They don’t use that much; just a few girls use the slice backhand, change the dynamic on the points. And it’s something that I really believe that when a rival girl is able to do that and change the rhythm of the point and move well, [she is] going to have a huge advantage.
“Of course, it’s very difficult to compete sometimes when you play against, a player like Sabalenka, that she’s going big on every shot, she can serve like a male, so it’s difficult to compete against that, but with variation and knowing that the movement can be not that perfect, you know, you can find a way to compete against these big shots with the proper tactics and the proper skills, no?
“And as I said before, the male can learn about how the girls have very clear how they play the points since the beginning.”
Nadal was recently coaching Iga Swiatek, further emphasising how his ATP experience could now help the former WTA world number one.
Novak Djokovic’s changing views on prize money equality in tennis
Back in 2016, Novak Djokovic found himself in hot water for claiming that female tennis players did not deserve to be paid the same as men.
This drew widespread criticism, with both Andy Murray and Serena Williams coming out against the Serbian.
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However, more recently, he has adopted a more complimentary approach, heralding women’s tennis for uplifting itself to a hugely lucrative position.
Djokovic claimed, earlier this year: “Well, it’s not what I think. It’s the fact. Women’s tennis has been by far the most successful, I guess, global women’s sport and also most paid, so it’s great to see that. I’m happy for that, and I’m proud of that. I think it’s in a good place.”
More recently, Djokovic has become close friends with Aryna Sabalenka, offering crucial advice to her as well as other WTA youngsters like Iva Jovic.
