Andy Roddick, as someone who played through one of the toughest eras in tennis history, knows the Big Three better than most.
Having faced off against them all plenty of times, with Roger Federer the outstanding rival who usually got the better of him, despite being an elite-level athlete, the American was often left flailing in the shadow of a trio soon set to break every record imaginable on their way to greatness.
And whilst he will likely forever attest that the Swiss superstar remained his toughest-ever opponent, he still takes time to laud Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for the respective talent they boasted as well.
On this occasion, it is the former he has honed in on, seeking to discount one tired notion that he thinks is just plain wrong.
Andy Roddick left stunned by one area of Rafael Nadal’s game
Speaking to Tennis Channel, Andy Roddick was emphatic in his monologue about Nadal.
As someone who very often seeks to reinforce his claim to discount the greats at your own peril, this marked the ultimate show of faith to the Spaniard, seeking to disregard what he has been hearing about one area of his game and instead elevate it to within the top-two in the world.
The American claimed: ‘Rafa Nadal may be the most underrated volleyer of all time. He doesn’t have to go in much, but the guy has won an Olympic doubles gold medal, the fluency with which he comes in.
‘We forget sometimes that he’s won twice at Wimbledon, that is not accidental.
‘Until Rafa tells us he is not playing anymore, he will be in my top-two volleyers.’
Given how highly he rates the 38-year-old, the women’s game should fear one recent statement, as Roddick suggested Nadal and Iga Swiatek share plenty of similarities.
Underestimating Rafael Nadal is a fool’s game
To hark back to that aforementioned Roddick monicker, discounting the greats, and Nadal in particular, has proven an unprofitable venture over the years.
Few can deny the blatant physical struggles he has faced in recent years, from abdomen issues to hip, ankle and foot injuries, yet the fact that he keeps coming back is the measure of the man he is.
Never one to just give up in the face of adversity, it is this unrelenting desire to play that has made him such a great of the game, and will likely carry him through to further success before he calls time on a legendary career.
2022’s ‘Miracle in Melbourne’ is often cited as the outstanding example of his remarkable determination in action, as he landed for that year’s Australian Open with little hope.
Despite Djokovic’s deportation, Nadal himself admitted he didn’t expected much from the tournament, having played little professional tennis since Roland Garros the year earlier.
But, overcoming a host of top players on his way to the final, it seemed like Daniil Medvedev’s quality would be a step too far.
That was, until he came back from two sets down to complete one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history.
Underestimate Nadal at your own peril. He will almost always make you regret it.
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