ANDhe Argentinian Juan Monaco, a retired player, and Rafa Nadal, were and are two great friends within the circuit and also now outside, since they do not coincide on the track. Monaco 'Pico' can be considered highly satisfied with a career in which he raised nine ATP tournaments, became one of the 10 best in the world and, among many other things, was able to 'leave' having collected experiences for more than ten years. His relationship with Rafael Nadal is one of the most outstanding that the Argentinean can account for in a circuit that does not always make friends.
The first confrontation between both of the eight they had (1-7 for Rafa) It was in Bastad, Sweden, just after Nadal came to win his first Roland Garros. “He came from winning in Paris. In fact, that game wins me, I am waiting for the tournament to end, and we went to Spain to his house. And there we were for a week … We went together to his house. I went to train for a week and then we went to another tournament (Stuttgart). And in the quarters he beat me again, “ says the Argentine in a statement for the ATP website.
Monaco's win over Nadal came in 2007, in Cincinnati. It was the third confrontation between the two, the Argentine had it all in his face and won … but with Nadal's withdrawal. “It was coming in a very good year. I had beaten Feli, a southpaw. And I beat Rafa. I was re hot because he did not want to finish. I was going set and double break up, and I retired. I wanted to kill him. I remember he had a fight … He was happy because he had won the game, but he had a barbarous fight … What does it cost this guy to play one more game? Look: he almost never retired in his career and came to retire with me, I'm one of his best friends. I wanted to kill him, “said a Monaco in a good tone, who can say that he beat Nadal in his career:” At least that remains in the records. “Two great friends.