Nadal, on his 1,000 victories: “I have always maintained the illusion”

Rafael Nadal, That this Wednesday he achieved his 1,000th victory as a professional at the 1,000th Masters in Paris, stressed that he has never lost his enthusiasm, even in the most complicated moments due to injuries.

“The key is to play very well for a long time. There is no other option than to play well for many years to score so many victories. In my personal case, I have faced difficult moments, with long and complicated injuries. But I've always kept the illusion and the passion to move on, “Nadal said after beating his compatriot Feliciano López 4-6, 7-6 (5) and 6-4.

The Spanish, who becomes the fourth tennis player of all time to reach that number of triumphs, He also assured that he has been surrounded by “the right people” who have helped him “to improve and survive difficult times.” The 1,000th victory was commemorated by the tournament with a small ceremony on the track, which Feliciano also attended, but in which Nadal regretted that there was no public in an empty hall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spaniard, who assured that now he will “go for 1.001”, assured that he does not feel “neither too old nor too good.” “The results tell me that I am not too old because I am still competitive. Not too good either, because I have lost some games. Luckily I have won more than lost. In this sport you lose almost every week and we live with victory and permanent defeat, we live with it and accepting both options helps us compete in a better way, “he said.

Nadal acknowledged that the victory against López was not easy, because it was difficult for him to get into the rhythm since it was his first hard court match in 8 months and the rival adapts well to this type of surface. “I started the game in the worst possible way. In the end I found a way and I am very proud of this victory. Sometimes personal satisfaction is greater when it is achieved the hard way than when it is achieved easily, “he said.