Jim Courier pinpointed the moment he knew Rafael Nadal was set for a fantastic tennis career.
The 38-year-old is preparing to compete for the final time when he represents Spain in the upcoming Davis Cup finals.
He is part of a squad featuring Carlos Alcaraz, who Nadal played doubles with at the Paris Olympic Games.
Nadal will be surrounded by fans on home soil and will hope to find some of his best tennis to add one more Davis Cup title to his glittering résumé.
Jim Courier highlights the moment he knew Rafael Nadal was going to be a special player
It did not take long for a young Rafael Nadal to put the tennis world on notice. He turned pro in 2001 and just three years later at the 2004 Miami Open, he took on Roger Federer for the first time.
At the age of just 17, Nadal stunned Federer, by producing a 6-3, 6-3 win and went on to win five of their next six matches.
It was this match at Crandon Park two decades ago that Jim Courier knew Nadal would become a great player, but he did not know how long he would remain at that level.
“I think the first time I realised he was going to be a generational player and not just a generational clay court player was when he beat Federer in Miami. That was a real wow moment,” he told the Tennis Channel Inside-In Podcast.
“It was clear he was going to be a great clay court player but for him to be able to turn that against Roger at his peak.
“Nobody was really challenging Roger at that point and he did. That was the moment I went okay this is going to be something to see.”
Jim Courier had one fear for Rafael Nadal that the Spaniard soon banished
Courier knew Nadal was a special player, but he had one concern for the 22-time Grand Slam champion at the start of his career.
In fact, it was the same concern many had for the Spaniard, and it was that he would have a short career due to how physical his playing style was.
But throughout his career, Nadal rose above his injury issues and proceeded to play for over 20 years and continued winning Grand Slams until the age of 36.
“My fear which was unfounded was that he would have a short career because of how physical his game was, how heavy he is and muscular he is,” Courier added.
“That traditionally has worn out joints and knees very quickly so like many I consider myself very lucky that he has had this career for so long that we have been able to savour.
“It is going to be sad next week, it is going to be terrible to watch him go, but we have been lucky.”
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