From the magazine

Rafael Nadal: king of the orange brick court

No tennis player was so well suited to the centre court at Roland Garros, where the Spaniard won a record of 14 French Open titles

Patrick Kidd
Rafael Nadal on court at the French Open in 2005.  Getty Images
EXPLORE THE ISSUE 10 May 2025
issue 10 May 2025

Even the greatest have setbacks. It is how they respond that makes them great. Take your chances, forget the lapses. The triumvirate who ruled men’s tennis this century – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – each won just 54 per cent of the points they played. It was about turning it on when it counted.

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