Rafael Nadal insists his happiness doesn’t depend on the all-time Grand Slam record and beating Novak Djokovic for the most Majors. On Sunday, Nadal saw off Casper Ruud in the French Open final to lift a record 22nd Grand Slam title.
Nadal now has a record 22 Grand Slams, while Djokovic and Roger Federer are tied on the second place with 20 Majors. Djokovic captured three Grand Slams last year to tie Nadal and Federer, before the Spaniard won this year’s Australian Open and French Open to take the lead in the Grand Slam race.
“Honestly, it is not something that bothers me if Novak wins 23 and I stay with 22. I think my happiness will not change at all. Not even one percent,” Nadal told CNN.
Nadal feels matching his French Open record harder than his GS record
On Sunday, Nadal was playing his 14th French Open final.
Nadal claimed a straight-set win over Ruud and improved his French Open finals record to 14-0. “Difficult to say that for my self but, I mean, I always have something in mind that I always considered myself a very normal guy.
So if I did it, somebody else can do it. But it’s obvious that the record of 22 Grand Slams is something much more possible, that somebody increase that record. I’m sure that’s going to happen. I mean, 14 Roland Garros is something, I mean, very difficult,” Nadal added.
Also, Nadal claimed he doesn’t really think that much about the all-time Grand Slam record. “I, honestly, don’t think much about that and from the bottom of my heart, I really don’t care that much, you know.
I think it doesn’t matter, you know, I think we’ve achieved my dreams, I’ve achieved my dream and I enjoy what I am doing,” Nadal said. There is no guarantees that Nadal will play Wimbledon but the Spaniard has confirmed he would like to compete at The Championships.
Source: Tennis World USA