Nadal Explains Sports Philosophy In One Word

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Nadal Explains Sports Philosophy In One Word

Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors once said Rafael Nadal plays every point with the hungry ferocity of a kid whose lunch money was stolen.

Intensity is a quality the 10-time Roland Garros champion brings to every sport he plays.

Watch: Nadal Into Wimbledon Round of 16

The 31-year-old Nadal was an excellent junior soccer player and a lifelong fisherman. Nadal is an avid golfer, whose friend, Masters champion Sergio Garcia, watched his victory over Karen Khachanov from the Royal Box.

Asked to identify the best attribute he brings to all three sports, Nadal summed it up in one word: Effort.

"In general terms, the best skill is when I do things, I want to do it well," Nadal told the media after his third-round Wimbledon win. "I put all my effort to try to do it well. That's the thing.

"I don't understand the sport without trying your best. I don't understand go to play golf, and don't try your best. I don't understand go to play, even a football match between friends, don't try your best to win or to play well."

Nadal believes if you don't bring your best to your sport, you're better off going running.

"The sport, in general, if you don't try your best, in my opinion, lose everything," Nadal said. "Is about competition at the end of the day. If you don't have this competitive spirit, then the sport, just by sport, is better go running or these kind of things."

The owner of one of the most ferocious forehands in tennis history says his golf swing is not nearly as smooth.

"I am more or less have a very bad swing, but I am a solid player," Nadal said of his golf game. "I don't have big mistakes. More or less, I have not a very bad shot. In general terms, I have a good shot game and good drive."

Photo credit: Ashley Western/CameraSport

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