Nadal is 36 years old, has more than $130 million in prize money and has won 22 Grand Slam tournaments – more than anyone else. Why is he still putting himself through this torture?
“I’m driven by my passion for the game”
The spectacular record hunt, which he delivers with his constant rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, is not the case, Nadal asserts. “Roger, Novak and I have achieved things that we probably never expected. But what drives me isn’t the competition to be the best or to win more Grand Slams than the others. What drives me is the passion for the game, playing in front of the best crowds and in the best stadiums in the world, experiencing moments that will always stay with me.”