By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, May 22, 2018
"Right now, he's playing as well as he's ever played," Aussie legend Ken Rosewall says of Rafael Nadal.
Photo credit: Fast4 Sydney International
Aussie legend Ken Rosewall returns to Roland Garros next month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his 1968 French Open triumph.
The eight-time Grand Slam singles champion knows exactly how his trip to the clay-court major will end: With Rosewall handing the Coupe des Mousquetaires to the king of clay.
Watch: How To Beat Nadal On Clay
The 83-year-old Rosewall believes Rafael Nadal's level of play is too high—and opponents are too intimidated—for anyone to stop the 31-year-old Spaniard from seizing his record-extending 11th Roland Garros crown.
“Unless anything unforeseen happens to Rafa—his reputation is scaring everybody—so I’m just going to go over there and give him the trophy and come home,” Rosewall told Reuters.
Empowered by defeating Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev in succession to capture his eighth Rome championship, Nadal carries a 19-1 clay-court record into Paris, including his 11th championships in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. Rosewall says Nadal's current level of play is as good as it's ever been.
“He looks like he’s enjoying his tennis. He’s had a few physical problems and it seems like he’s recovered from that,” Rosewall said of Nadal. “Right now he’s playing as well as he’s ever played. He’s the one to win it.”
Tennis Australia honored Rosewall with a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of his Roland Garros victory.
The owner of 18 total Grand Slam championships (eight singles, nine doubles, one mixed doubles), Rosewall believes if Nadal captures his 17th Grand Slam title in Paris, then he can equal and possibly surpass 20-time Grand Slam king Roger Federer for most men's major singles titles.
"There’s a good chance he will (catch Federer)," Rosewall told the media."I think Rafa’s going to have to decide that he won’t play quite so much. He’s probably got to realize that he’s got to save himself at some other time on some other surface, so he may not play on hard court tournaments so much.
"That aside, there’s no reason why he can’t win a number more big tournaments."
A champion for all surfaces, the ageless Rosewall set a longevity record when he defeated compatriot Mal Anderson in the 1972 Australian Open final on the grass of Kooyong at the age of 37 years, 2 months and 1 day to become the oldest men's Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era.
That victory came 19 years after Rosewall won his first major at the age of 18 in the 1953 Australian championships. Rosewall is preparing to bid farewell to one of his longevity records.
Rosewall believes the 36-year-old Federer, who celebrates his 37th birthday on August 8th, will continue to win Grand Slams and likely break his record as the oldest male major singles champion.
“Yes, the record could be (in danger),” Rosewall said. "There’s no doubt that Roger’s going to be in good form, he always enjoys coming to Melbourne. Still, I’d be sorry to lose that title. But if I lose anything to Roger Federer, I’d be quite happy."