1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,787 Speaker 1: from Newstalk ZEDB. 3 00:00:12,867 --> 00:00:16,467 Speaker 2: Raffernadale has announced his retirement from professional tennis. 4 00:00:20,867 --> 00:00:28,867 Speaker 3: Nadal It's fourteen and twenty two sistereen. The legend that 5 00:00:29,067 --> 00:00:32,867 Speaker 3: is Raphael Nadal continues to grow here. 6 00:00:32,987 --> 00:00:36,307 Speaker 2: Nadal's thirty eight now. He's won twenty two major titles, 7 00:00:36,347 --> 00:00:39,827 Speaker 2: including fourteen at the French Open, but has struggled with 8 00:00:39,907 --> 00:00:42,747 Speaker 2: various injuries over the last couple of years. Only Novak 9 00:00:42,787 --> 00:00:47,187 Speaker 2: Djokovic with twenty four has won more major titles. Raffernadal's 10 00:00:47,227 --> 00:00:49,747 Speaker 2: final outing will be for Spain in the Davis Cup 11 00:00:49,787 --> 00:00:52,547 Speaker 2: finals next month. There wouldn't be too many people, I 12 00:00:52,507 --> 00:00:55,147 Speaker 2: don't reckon who have seen more of Raffa Adhal than 13 00:00:55,187 --> 00:00:59,387 Speaker 2: Graham AGAs who joins us Now, Graham, where does Raffa 14 00:00:59,467 --> 00:01:02,867 Speaker 2: sit among the great players you've watched down the years. 15 00:01:03,667 --> 00:01:06,787 Speaker 4: Well, he's locked down the category of best clay ever, 16 00:01:07,267 --> 00:01:09,827 Speaker 4: stealing that from beyond Borg and doing it, as you 17 00:01:09,947 --> 00:01:15,027 Speaker 4: said in style fourteen French Open championships. In fact, if 18 00:01:15,027 --> 00:01:17,907 Speaker 4: you look at his clay court record, there was a 19 00:01:17,947 --> 00:01:21,987 Speaker 4: period of time between April two thousand and four and 20 00:01:22,107 --> 00:01:25,507 Speaker 4: May two thousand and seven where he was unbeaten on 21 00:01:25,667 --> 00:01:29,347 Speaker 4: clay anywhere in the world. He won eighty one matches 22 00:01:29,467 --> 00:01:33,347 Speaker 4: during that streach stretch. Nobody has ever come close to that, 23 00:01:34,027 --> 00:01:37,467 Speaker 4: so he certainly locked in the clay court side of it. 24 00:01:37,747 --> 00:01:41,747 Speaker 4: The other side, I think the Grand's fame rankings, let's 25 00:01:41,747 --> 00:01:46,187 Speaker 4: call him twenty four Novak, twenty two Rufa and twenty 26 00:01:46,467 --> 00:01:51,267 Speaker 4: Roger Federer speak for themselves. You can pick or choose 27 00:01:51,307 --> 00:01:54,467 Speaker 4: your favorite amongst those, but I think those three guys 28 00:01:54,587 --> 00:01:59,307 Speaker 4: drove each other through that era which is finally coming 29 00:01:59,307 --> 00:02:02,187 Speaker 4: to an end. Roger's already on the sidelines, Rufa about 30 00:02:02,227 --> 00:02:05,267 Speaker 4: to be, and who knows what Novak he's getten up 31 00:02:05,307 --> 00:02:06,547 Speaker 4: there as well. 32 00:02:06,707 --> 00:02:12,027 Speaker 2: What made refer so potent on clay. 33 00:02:12,387 --> 00:02:15,027 Speaker 4: Well, first of all, stamina. I mean you could see 34 00:02:15,067 --> 00:02:20,067 Speaker 4: how strong the guide was. Secondly, he came in in 35 00:02:20,147 --> 00:02:24,067 Speaker 4: an era where they could fiddle around with the strings 36 00:02:24,107 --> 00:02:26,707 Speaker 4: in the racket, and they had a bigger head in 37 00:02:26,747 --> 00:02:29,627 Speaker 4: the racket, bigger the bag played with. For example, who 38 00:02:29,787 --> 00:02:34,187 Speaker 4: was previously considered I guess the master of the clay. 39 00:02:34,907 --> 00:02:39,707 Speaker 4: And in addition to his strength and stamina, he hit 40 00:02:39,827 --> 00:02:44,467 Speaker 4: with enormous spin, so that not only was the ball 41 00:02:44,507 --> 00:02:47,227 Speaker 4: coming at you at speed, but when I hit the 42 00:02:47,227 --> 00:02:50,147 Speaker 4: ground it sort of launched into you. And it just 43 00:02:50,267 --> 00:02:54,187 Speaker 4: made him wharing to play. And the fact that he 44 00:02:54,227 --> 00:02:56,627 Speaker 4: could run all day and all night if he had to, 45 00:02:57,587 --> 00:03:00,547 Speaker 4: just made him the hardest guy in the dirt to beat. 46 00:03:00,067 --> 00:03:04,427 Speaker 4: He was spectacular and had most guys beaten before they 47 00:03:04,427 --> 00:03:05,547 Speaker 4: even went out on court. 48 00:03:06,347 --> 00:03:08,947 Speaker 2: It wasn't just Roland Garris, of course. You know a 49 00:03:08,947 --> 00:03:12,147 Speaker 2: couple of Australian Opens, a couple of Wimbledon titles, four 50 00:03:12,187 --> 00:03:14,467 Speaker 2: at the US Open. So was it a stamina in 51 00:03:14,547 --> 00:03:17,787 Speaker 2: fitness again, which were the bed rock for those titles. 52 00:03:19,067 --> 00:03:22,067 Speaker 4: Well, that show's adaptability too. I mean he wasn't just 53 00:03:22,107 --> 00:03:25,947 Speaker 4: a dirt baller. He could change his game, as he said, 54 00:03:25,987 --> 00:03:29,307 Speaker 4: to win two times at Wimbledon and then you know, 55 00:03:29,387 --> 00:03:31,387 Speaker 4: pick up wins on the hard courts at the Australian 56 00:03:31,467 --> 00:03:35,587 Speaker 4: Open the US Open as well show just how versatile 57 00:03:35,627 --> 00:03:37,867 Speaker 4: he was. He still sort of played the same way 58 00:03:38,507 --> 00:03:41,867 Speaker 4: that he could adapt this game, including improving his serve 59 00:03:41,947 --> 00:03:47,027 Speaker 4: for grass to get results as there as well as 60 00:03:47,067 --> 00:03:49,387 Speaker 4: on the dirt. So if you look at his wind 61 00:03:49,427 --> 00:03:52,867 Speaker 4: loss career, which is probably the best indicator of how 62 00:03:52,867 --> 00:03:58,747 Speaker 4: he played throughout his whole career on any surface indoor, outdoor, grass, hardcourt, 63 00:03:58,867 --> 00:04:02,587 Speaker 4: or clay win loss record of one thousand and eighty 64 00:04:02,667 --> 00:04:06,067 Speaker 4: wins just two hundred and twenty seven losses, So that 65 00:04:06,147 --> 00:04:10,107 Speaker 4: is dominant guy, not just on the clay. He also, 66 00:04:10,187 --> 00:04:12,747 Speaker 4: in addition to you know, winning those twenty two Grand 67 00:04:12,827 --> 00:04:17,147 Speaker 4: Slam singles titles, had ninety two singles wins on the 68 00:04:17,187 --> 00:04:21,747 Speaker 4: ATB Tour, led stain to four Datas Cup victories, and 69 00:04:21,787 --> 00:04:25,547 Speaker 4: he's just one of eight male players in the history 70 00:04:25,587 --> 00:04:29,987 Speaker 4: of tennis to won all four Grand Slams at least 71 00:04:30,027 --> 00:04:32,747 Speaker 4: once in their career. So you know, he's in a 72 00:04:33,027 --> 00:04:35,347 Speaker 4: very very elevated category. 73 00:04:35,547 --> 00:04:38,427 Speaker 2: Yeah, the numbers are astonishing. Let's talk about his battles 74 00:04:38,427 --> 00:04:41,587 Speaker 2: with the other two, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. A 75 00:04:41,707 --> 00:04:47,227 Speaker 2: twenty four to sixteen record against Roger Federer, that's overall 76 00:04:47,267 --> 00:04:50,947 Speaker 2: ten to four in Grand Slams, against Djokovic eleven to 77 00:04:50,987 --> 00:04:54,347 Speaker 2: seven a Grand slams, but overall twenty nine wins to 78 00:04:54,427 --> 00:04:58,867 Speaker 2: Djokovic's thirty one. Why did he have greater trouble with Djokovic? 79 00:05:01,187 --> 00:05:03,627 Speaker 4: I think he figured out how to play Roger Federer. 80 00:05:03,867 --> 00:05:08,587 Speaker 4: In fact, you know when Federer's dominating the game. Rufa 81 00:05:08,667 --> 00:05:10,507 Speaker 4: was the first one to figure out that if you 82 00:05:10,667 --> 00:05:15,787 Speaker 4: kept attacking Roger's single handed backhand, you would certainly lose 83 00:05:15,827 --> 00:05:18,067 Speaker 4: points because Roger could flip him over the net in 84 00:05:18,107 --> 00:05:22,387 Speaker 4: any direction, but you would probably win more points than 85 00:05:22,427 --> 00:05:24,667 Speaker 4: you would lose. And that's when he started to beat 86 00:05:24,787 --> 00:05:30,107 Speaker 4: Roger Federer on a regular occasion. But Novak was kind 87 00:05:30,147 --> 00:05:33,587 Speaker 4: of between Federer and Nadal and the way he played. 88 00:05:34,147 --> 00:05:35,867 Speaker 4: I read a piece the other day from one of 89 00:05:35,867 --> 00:05:41,067 Speaker 4: the former coaches. Can't remember his name now because it 90 00:05:41,107 --> 00:05:43,987 Speaker 4: was an insignificant name to me, but he had been 91 00:05:44,027 --> 00:05:47,947 Speaker 4: a hitting partner of all three players at some stage 92 00:05:48,427 --> 00:05:50,667 Speaker 4: during his time in tennis, and he was asked to 93 00:05:50,707 --> 00:05:54,987 Speaker 4: describe the players. If he had a blindfold on, would 94 00:05:55,027 --> 00:05:57,867 Speaker 4: he know who he was playing. So he started with 95 00:05:58,067 --> 00:06:01,427 Speaker 4: Federer and he said, Federer, you could tell by the 96 00:06:01,467 --> 00:06:04,627 Speaker 4: sheer precision of the strike of the ball. It was 97 00:06:04,787 --> 00:06:08,187 Speaker 4: just perfect every time it came to you. He said, 98 00:06:08,227 --> 00:06:12,827 Speaker 4: with Ruffa, it was the shot that just bounced off 99 00:06:12,867 --> 00:06:15,467 Speaker 4: the court and leapt into you. And this is the 100 00:06:15,507 --> 00:06:20,067 Speaker 4: most interesting comment of ball. He said. Novak had an 101 00:06:20,227 --> 00:06:24,387 Speaker 4: arrogance about the way he hit the ball, and his 102 00:06:24,547 --> 00:06:27,547 Speaker 4: conclusion was Novak was actually the best player of all 103 00:06:27,627 --> 00:06:31,667 Speaker 4: three in terms of just sheer winning ability, and he 104 00:06:31,707 --> 00:06:34,027 Speaker 4: did it by carrying a sort of an arrogance on 105 00:06:34,147 --> 00:06:37,707 Speaker 4: court and being able to hit shots like Federer and 106 00:06:37,907 --> 00:06:41,427 Speaker 4: like Nadal if he had to. So there was nowhere 107 00:06:41,467 --> 00:06:45,067 Speaker 4: you could put him where he had a weakness, and 108 00:06:45,107 --> 00:06:49,027 Speaker 4: I think that's why Ruffa and many other players struggled 109 00:06:49,067 --> 00:06:49,627 Speaker 4: against him. 110 00:06:49,747 --> 00:06:53,587 Speaker 2: Gee, that's great insight. Left handers. Is he the greatest 111 00:06:53,667 --> 00:06:57,587 Speaker 2: left hander? McEnroe, Connors, Liver? Is he the greatest left handed? 112 00:06:57,627 --> 00:07:01,547 Speaker 4: Grime? Well, here's something most people don't know. He's actually 113 00:07:01,547 --> 00:07:04,947 Speaker 4: a right handed and he plays tennis. He plays tennis 114 00:07:05,027 --> 00:07:07,907 Speaker 4: left handed. So did you gon't get it autograph? He's 115 00:07:07,947 --> 00:07:11,867 Speaker 4: not signing with his which is weird. And I think 116 00:07:11,867 --> 00:07:15,547 Speaker 4: he plays golf right handed as well. You've got to 117 00:07:15,587 --> 00:07:18,987 Speaker 4: put him up there. I mean, it's so difficult to 118 00:07:18,267 --> 00:07:23,267 Speaker 4: compare errors because you can only beat the players in 119 00:07:23,307 --> 00:07:25,627 Speaker 4: front of you, you know, so Labor didn't have to 120 00:07:25,627 --> 00:07:29,667 Speaker 4: beat Fedder, for example. So just put him up there 121 00:07:29,707 --> 00:07:33,107 Speaker 4: as one of the great all time players and on clay, yes, 122 00:07:33,747 --> 00:07:36,787 Speaker 4: the best, the best left hander of all time for sure. 123 00:07:37,187 --> 00:07:39,747 Speaker 2: In the last two years. Unfortunately for ref and Adal 124 00:07:39,787 --> 00:07:42,107 Speaker 2: have seen age and his body catch up with him. 125 00:07:42,107 --> 00:07:44,107 Speaker 2: I guess ricked by injury. Did he hang on for 126 00:07:44,147 --> 00:07:44,707 Speaker 2: a bit long? 127 00:07:45,027 --> 00:07:45,307 Speaker 1: Great? 128 00:07:46,987 --> 00:07:49,947 Speaker 4: Yeah, this is the longest retirement I've ever seen. It's 129 00:07:49,987 --> 00:07:55,467 Speaker 4: taken three years. You know, where the people out on 130 00:07:55,507 --> 00:07:59,187 Speaker 4: the road regularly. You know. I'd pretty much given up 131 00:07:59,187 --> 00:08:02,667 Speaker 4: on Rafa three years ago, but admired him for his 132 00:08:02,827 --> 00:08:05,467 Speaker 4: courage and his determination, his sheer love of the game 133 00:08:05,507 --> 00:08:09,027 Speaker 4: to keep going. Nobody was ever critical about it. But 134 00:08:09,107 --> 00:08:12,187 Speaker 4: if you look at him as far as a physical 135 00:08:12,227 --> 00:08:14,907 Speaker 4: specimen is concerned, I mean, he was a monster, wasn't 136 00:08:14,947 --> 00:08:19,107 Speaker 4: He was so strong, and he wore those sleeveless shirts 137 00:08:19,147 --> 00:08:21,907 Speaker 4: to show off his biceps and and all that sort 138 00:08:21,947 --> 00:08:29,427 Speaker 4: of stuff. But injuries foot, ankle, hip, knee, hamstring, and 139 00:08:29,467 --> 00:08:32,667 Speaker 4: you can toss in appendicitis, and he had to appendix 140 00:08:32,707 --> 00:08:36,187 Speaker 4: out in two thousand and four. So I mean, the 141 00:08:36,227 --> 00:08:39,627 Speaker 4: guy kept the doctors happy because there was always something 142 00:08:39,667 --> 00:08:43,027 Speaker 4: going on. And part of that was because of the 143 00:08:43,067 --> 00:08:46,427 Speaker 4: ferocious nature that he not only played the game, but 144 00:08:46,547 --> 00:08:50,027 Speaker 4: he practiced exactly the same. I went through many rougher 145 00:08:50,107 --> 00:08:54,587 Speaker 4: practice sessions and came away exhausted because he played them 146 00:08:55,067 --> 00:08:57,267 Speaker 4: just like he did play matches. I mean, it was 147 00:08:57,587 --> 00:09:01,907 Speaker 4: full on all the time. So it was inevitable that 148 00:09:02,547 --> 00:09:05,587 Speaker 4: injuries would finally force him out of the game, because otherwise, 149 00:09:06,107 --> 00:09:08,027 Speaker 4: you know, he would have played till he was seventy. 150 00:09:08,067 --> 00:09:11,187 Speaker 4: But that's what's happened. He's got so many problems and 151 00:09:11,227 --> 00:09:14,227 Speaker 4: he just gets one right and another one flares up. 152 00:09:14,267 --> 00:09:16,667 Speaker 4: But he's just got to give up the game. But 153 00:09:17,067 --> 00:09:19,427 Speaker 4: you know, he's done, okay, one hundred and thirty five 154 00:09:19,507 --> 00:09:23,307 Speaker 4: million US dollars in prize money and a networth including 155 00:09:23,347 --> 00:09:27,387 Speaker 4: sponsorships estimated at a quarter of a billion US dollars, 156 00:09:28,067 --> 00:09:31,107 Speaker 4: So he's banked a lot of change during that career, 157 00:09:31,187 --> 00:09:34,307 Speaker 4: and a lot of people have enjoyed paying to watch 158 00:09:34,387 --> 00:09:34,827 Speaker 4: him play. 159 00:09:35,427 --> 00:09:37,187 Speaker 2: Yep, I think he's going to be okay, just to 160 00:09:37,187 --> 00:09:40,307 Speaker 2: finish raff of the person, what was he like to 161 00:09:40,347 --> 00:09:43,947 Speaker 2: deal with? How did you observe the way he carried 162 00:09:44,027 --> 00:09:45,707 Speaker 2: himself around the tennis circuit. 163 00:09:47,107 --> 00:09:49,707 Speaker 4: Yeah, second to none, right up there with Roger feder. 164 00:09:49,987 --> 00:09:53,187 Speaker 4: He first of all, he cared about the game. He 165 00:09:53,347 --> 00:09:55,987 Speaker 4: was humble enough to care about the people in the game. 166 00:09:56,507 --> 00:10:01,627 Speaker 4: He always respected his opponents, and Raffa never ceased to 167 00:10:01,787 --> 00:10:05,187 Speaker 4: applaud his opponent after they'd lost to him. When they 168 00:10:05,267 --> 00:10:08,107 Speaker 4: left the court, you would have seen it. Everybody sees it. 169 00:10:08,187 --> 00:10:10,707 Speaker 4: He used to go back to his chair and when 170 00:10:10,707 --> 00:10:13,267 Speaker 4: they left he would stand and applaud, which gave an 171 00:10:13,307 --> 00:10:17,987 Speaker 4: indication of his respect for the other players, and the 172 00:10:18,027 --> 00:10:20,947 Speaker 4: players respected him so much, so much so that he 173 00:10:21,067 --> 00:10:24,427 Speaker 4: spent six years right in the prime of his career 174 00:10:25,027 --> 00:10:28,147 Speaker 4: as a member of the very powerful ATP Player Council, 175 00:10:28,187 --> 00:10:31,787 Speaker 4: which really provided the governance for the game year in 176 00:10:31,787 --> 00:10:36,227 Speaker 4: and year out. So just a wonderful ambassador for tennis. 177 00:10:36,547 --> 00:10:38,947 Speaker 4: And he'll be missed, but he won't go away. Ruffa 178 00:10:38,987 --> 00:10:40,867 Speaker 4: will be around the game one way or the other 179 00:10:42,027 --> 00:10:44,507 Speaker 4: going forward because he just loves the game so much. 180 00:10:44,547 --> 00:10:48,587 Speaker 4: But you know, I don't recall ever having a bad 181 00:10:48,627 --> 00:10:51,747 Speaker 4: moment with Ruffa. He always came into the press conferences 182 00:10:52,227 --> 00:10:54,947 Speaker 4: after a loss, even if it really hurt him. He 183 00:10:55,107 --> 00:10:57,307 Speaker 4: was always trying to give a good answer, even though 184 00:10:57,307 --> 00:11:01,347 Speaker 4: he were speaking not in his native language. And as 185 00:11:01,387 --> 00:11:04,147 Speaker 4: I said, he had the respect of pretty much everybody 186 00:11:04,227 --> 00:11:07,507 Speaker 4: in the game because of the way he carried himself throughout. 187 00:11:07,587 --> 00:11:10,907 Speaker 4: Right up there with Roger Ted that wasn't surprising that 188 00:11:11,027 --> 00:11:15,987 Speaker 4: those two guys, Apart from a couple of moments between them, 189 00:11:16,427 --> 00:11:19,227 Speaker 4: you know, we're the best of friends and share a 190 00:11:19,307 --> 00:11:21,707 Speaker 4: great reverence for the game of tenants. 191 00:11:21,907 --> 00:11:24,147 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not sure we'll see the like of him again. 192 00:11:24,187 --> 00:11:26,107 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for your time this afternoon. Graham really 193 00:11:26,107 --> 00:11:26,867 Speaker 2: appreciate it. 194 00:11:26,867 --> 00:11:28,987 Speaker 4: It's a pleasure. Jason, Thanks, no, thank you, mate. 195 00:11:28,987 --> 00:11:31,667 Speaker 2: That is Graham A Gas reflecting on the career of 196 00:11:31,867 --> 00:11:32,587 Speaker 2: refin adult. 197 00:11:33,107 --> 00:11:36,267 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 198 00:11:36,387 --> 00:11:39,787 Speaker 1: to news talks'd be weekends from midday, or follow the 199 00:11:39,827 --> 00:11:41,307 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio