"I'd like to be remembered as a kid that achieved more than I ever dreamed." Certainly nobody who has followed the career of that kid, Rafael Nadal, would be surprised at the way he chose to bow out of the sport he dominated for two decades: with humility and grace.

"I have been very lucky in the life I have had the opportunity to live, I have lived unforgettable experiences because of tennis... The way I'd like to be remembered most is as a good person from a small village in Mallorca."¹

His home in Mallorca in fact plays host to one of the biggest trophy cabinets in the world, with no fewer than 92 singles titles, including a near-record 22 grand slamsThe Grand Slam tournaments, also known as the majors, are the four most important international professional tennis events. They are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.  .

An astonishing 14 of these came from the French OpenAn annual major (grand slam) tennis tournament organised by the French Tennis Federation and held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris., where Nadal lost just four out of 116 matches in his career.²

Yet if his sporting prowess is legendary, his status as one of the good guys of tennis is, if anything, more so.

There were people who never forgave Roger Federer's early bolshinessDisplaying defiance, being uncooperative, or refusing to help or obey. on the court, or sneered at his aristocratic elegance. There were far more who railed against Novak Djokovic's arrogance and disrespect for his opponents.

But in a 23-year career, no-one found anything to criticise in Nadal's behaviour: always humble in victory, gracious in defeat, and gentle with everyone who crossed his path.

At most they might tease him for his famous on-court rituals: always wearing his socks at the exact same height, adjusting his underpants before every serve, and placing his drink bottles in the exact same position, their labels facing the side of the court he was due to play on.³

Many called these superstitions, but he insisted this was not true: "If it was superstition, why would I keep doing the same thing over and over, whether I win or lose?"

Rather, he insisted, it was a way of "placing myself in a match, of ordering my environment to match the order I am looking for in my head".⁴ A lesson in mindfulness for us all.

Perhaps that is how he was able to bear adversity with such stoicismA philosophy that originated in the ancient world and still has many adherents today. Stoics seek to control their emotions and preserve their happiness in the face of adversity., as injuries in his knees and back returned again and again to deny him titles he had worked so hard to win. Somehow he never seemed resentful at his misfortune.

He had fierce rivalries with Federer and Djokovic, the other two members of the Big Three that picked up almost every major title from 2004 to 2023, and held the title of top player in the world for more than 18 years between them.⁵ These titansIndividuals who are extremely strong and/or powerful. of the sport played every match against each other like it would be their last.

Yet Nadal never held any grudge against either of his nemesesArch enemies.. Even as he and Federer duked it out on court, they became firm friends. When Federer retired in 2022, he asked Nadal to play with him one last time - not as an opponent, but as his doubles partner.

Which brings us back to Nadal's phrase: a good person from a small village. Goodness: a quality that shines in every circumstance, defeat as well as victory, success as well as adversity.

A person, not a tennis legend, but someone who is really just the same as everyone else. And from a small village: no matter how humble one's origins, through hard work and the right disposition we all can achieve some form of greatness.

Is this phrase Nadal's greatest ace?

Yes: Few people will ever achieve as much as Nadal has by the age of 38. Yet he chose to use his platform to promote goodness and kindness to others. That alone guarantees his place in the tennis annals.

No: Goodness and kindness are all very well, but no-one would be listening to Rafa's pearls of wisdom if he had not, in fact, hit a very large number of real aces over the past 23 years.

Or... There is a reason we look for grace and class in our sportspeople: we know they have an influence over millions of young fans. That is why it is so important that Nadal is both a great player and a great man.