Eight-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 Andre Agassi has declared Rafael Nadal as the greatest clay courter of all-time.
Agassi, who won the French Open in 1999, said he never thought someone could win 10 Roland Garros titles because even winning the tournament once was a monumental task. Terming Nadal’s achievement ‘impossible’, the American insisted that the 31-year-old Majorcan has taken the game to an altogether different level on the red dirt and that’s why he is deservingly called the ‘King of Clay’.
“I fought so hard to win the French Open one time and this guy has won it 10 times, which is just amazing,” Agassi said.
“Rafa is a great inspiration for so many people around the world and whatever debate we might have over who is the best players of all-time, whether it is Rafa, [Roger] Federer, [Bjorn] Borg, [Rod] Laver, there is no doubt about the best clay court player of all-time.
“He has taken the sport to an entirely different level on clay, there is no doubt about that.
“I mean, 10 French Open titles? Come on, that’s not possible, but he has done it.”
Meanwhile, Nadal underplayed his chances of defending his Madrid Masters crown despite his recent success on the clay courts of Germany, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. The World No. 1 is on a 19 match-winning streak on the surface.
“You’re in trouble every day, every time you go out there, you can lose or win,” Nadal said.
“Every day that I go out on the track, I have the utmost respect for my rival because everything can happen.
“I am happy with how things are working and more after a difficult season start with injuries, both in Davis Cup and in Monte Carlo and Barcelona things have come out the best way possible.”
