Rafael Nadal explained during an interview nearly five years ago that his family would never have allowed him to break a racket on court. Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was forced to apologise after destroying his racket during his shock second round defeat to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Masters on Friday.
Nadal has featured in 30 Grand Slam finals throughout his illustrious career and has tasted victory in 22 of them.
But the Spaniard has always managed to keep his composure on court and has refused to let his emotions boil over, even in the moments of highest stress.
Nadal was asked during an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes in 2019 how many rackets he had broken. And he signalled the answer by forming a zero with his finger and thumb as a beaming smile appeared on his face.
He then explained: “My family, they wouldn’t have allowed me to break a racket. For me, breaking a racket means I’m not in control of my emotions.”
Nadal’s reluctance to show his anger means he may have some words of advice for Paris Olympics doubles partner Alcaraz.
The four-time Grand Slam winner annihilated his racket in a rare outburst after failing to convert a break point in the third set against Monfils. He smashed his racket onto the ground several times during the outburst and was then handed a code violation by the umpire.
Alcaraz, who had won the first set, was ultimately unable to battle to victory, with his opponent winning the match 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
And after the match, he explained: “I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racket. It never happened before because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings.
“Most of the time I could control myself and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I’ve been feeling before.
“Today I couldn’t control myself because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. I think some players, a lot of players, during their careers and during certain moments, they can’t control themselves and it was one of the moments for me.”
He then took to Instagram on Saturday and penned: “I want to apologise for my attitude yesterday, it was not good and that should not happen on court. I’m human, the nerves had accumulated and sometimes it is very tough to control when there is that tension. I will work so that it doesn’t happen again.”
