Gearing up for Australian Open 2021, Rafael Nadal said he is not obsessed about breaking records but said he will is looking forward to adding to his Grand Slam tally, which stands at 20.
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has said he is not focussed on going behind records but maintained that it would be “amazing” to add to his Grand Slam tally in the new season. Nadal is tied with Federer as the two tennis greats have won 20 major titles each, 3 more than nearest rival Novak Djokovic.
Federer has won a Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2018. The 39-year-old has not played on the tour since last year’s Australian Open. He was expected to make a return in Australia but the senior campaigner has postponed his plans as he is still recovering from knee surgery.
On the other hand, Nadal is gearing up for the Australian Open, starting February 8 before which he will be in action in the ATP Cup in Melbourne. Nadal is tipped to go past Federer’s tally in 2021. The Spaniard has been in good form, having extended his French Open winning streak last year.
“I did much more than what I ever dreamed in my tennis career. It would be amazing for me to win one more. But I know that will not be the key for my happiness in the future. It’s not extra pressure and it’s not an obsession,” Nadal told .
“I keep going, doing it my way. If it happens, fantastic, but if not, I’m more than happy about everything that happened to me.”
We push each other to do better: Nadal
Meanwhile, Nadal said Federer’s success over the years has only inspired him to go things better and that the two superstars have shared a good relationship and a lot of respect. Their camaraderie has been evident over the years despite their numerous on-field battles that have gone down to the wire. The last time these two met was at Wimbledon where Federer defeated Nadal in 4 sets.
“To have somebody in front of you that’s doing a lot of things better than you, it gives you a clear way about what you need to improve to achieve your goals. I think we always had a good relationship, a lot of respect. We did beautiful things together and important things for our sport. We push each other to be better,” Nadal said.Live TV