Roger Federer’s coach says Rafael Nadal deserves more than a statue after his latest French Open triumph
Rafael Nadal’s dominance at the French Open is enough for the famed Philippe Chatrier court at Roland Garros to be named after the Spaniard after his last Grand Slam triumph on clay, according to rival Roger Federer’s coach.
Nadal notched a remarkable 14th win at Roland Garros with an all-around straight-sets victory against Casper Ruud on Sunday, extending his remarkable string of wins at the event, and rising further into the lead when it comes to Grand Slam wins of all. times with 22, two ahead of Novak Djokovic and Federer.
The Spanish star’s victory will have been all the more satisfying, given that he defeated Djokovic in the quarter-finals, a victory that was a measure of revenge for having eliminated Nadal from the 2021 competition.
Nadal also took advantage of Djokovic’s visa problems by winning the Australian Open, traditionally his favorite event, after the Serbian ace was deported from the country in January following a dispute over Covid-19 vaccination requirements.
But when it comes to Roger Federer, the Swiss superstar who is one of only three men to have dominated men’s tennis for multiple years, there is a long history of respect for Nadal and his achievements in the sport.
Not many PLAYED 14 @Roland Garros tournaments He won it 14 times. There is no word to describe this feat. Don’t think good old Phillippe would care if his court changes the name to Rafael Nadal: the statue is not enough
– Iván Ljubicic (@theljubicic) June 5, 2022
In the latest example, current Federer coach and former professional Ivan Ljubicic announced that he feels Nadal’s dominance of the French Open between 2005 and 2022 deserves much more than a statue outside the arena.
“Not many PLAYED 14 Roland Garros tournaments”, Ljubicic wrote on Twitter.
“He won it 14 times. There is no word to describe this feat. Don’t think good old Philippe would care if his court changes the name to Rafael Nadal: the statue is not enough.”
The central court of Roland Garros is named after the French player Philippe Chatrier in 2001, a year after the death of the former president of the International Tennis Federation and the French Tennis Federation; a man who has been a central figure in the progress of the sport in France.
In strict tennis terms, this would seem like an easy decision. Chatrier played in only one French Open during his tennis career, reaching the third round in 1949, but he was perhaps best known for his achievements off the court, playing a key role in tennis becoming an Olympic sport in the 1980s.
While Nadal is the most successful player in the event’s history, he has only failed to win it four times since 2005.
Sunday’s win over Ruud also made him the tournament’s oldest winner (36) in its history.