Nadal cleverly responds to cross-era comparisons: legends should not be simply measured by statistics

The Australian Open recently ended, and Djokovic's win against Sinner in the semifinals triggered a discussion on era comparisons.

Famous French coach Mouratoglou publicly expressed that it is narrow-minded to conclude from just one match that Alcaraz and Sinner are not on the same level as Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. His remarks quickly stirred controversy, prompting even the usually reserved Nadal to respond.

In an interview with ESPN, Nadal pointed out fundamental flaws in Mouratoglou’s analysis and skillfully used a football analogy to explain his perspective.

Mouratoglou’s controversial viewpoint originated from Djokovic’s semifinal match against Sinner at the 2026 Australian Open. After the match, the French coach, who once trained Serena Williams, posted a video commentary on Instagram.In the video, he elaborated: “If you think Djokovic’s semifinal win over Sinner means the Big Three’s tennis level is superior to Alcaraz and Sinner, that’s a very short-sighted perspective.”Mouratoglou believes that Sinner moves faster, hits harder, strikes earlier, and serves better than Djokovic, whose victory mainly came down to arguably the strongest mental toughness in tennis history.

Mouratoglou’s comments quickly caught Nadal’s attention. The Spanish legend first replied to Mouratoglou’s post with five laughing face emojis, a brief response widely interpreted as disagreement.Then, in a more detailed ESPN interview, Nadal explained his stance: “I don’t see any controversy. I don’t want to create any, but the key point is that gentleman’s analysis is incorrect.”

Nadal cleverly used a football analogy to clarify his position: “It’s like analyzing today’s Messi by looking at the Messi who played for Barcelona, or judging today’s Ronaldo by the Ronaldo who played for Real Madrid.”

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, now retired, emphasized: “Everyone’s career shapes their legacy. I have never said some are better than others; careers will prove who stands out. They are all great ambassadors of the sport.”

Mouratoglou’s opinion did not gain widespread acceptance in the tennis world. Besides Nadal’s response, tennis legend Boris Becker also quickly refuted Mouratoglou’s statements.Interestingly, Mouratoglou adopted a confrontational tone toward criticism. When questioned by Becker, he replied: “I never form opinions based on others’ thoughts, only my own. Only dead fish go with the flow.”

In fact, Sinner himself, often compared with his predecessors, cautiously stated: “The rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and me cannot be compared to the Big Three’s performance.”Well-known players like Andy Murray also joined the discussion, generally disagreeing with Mouratoglou’s viewpoint.

In this debate about who is superior across different eras, Nadal demonstrated a perspective beyond personal achievements.

Not long ago, when 22-year-old Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open final, breaking Nadal’s record as the youngest Grand Slam winner, the former record holder’s reaction was surprisingly calm.“For me, it’s a positive thing. Progress in sports should be celebrated, not feared,” Nadal said at the time. “I’m proud of my achievements, but if someone does better, that’s very welcome.”He even humorously added: “Am I supposed to worry every day for the rest of my life that someone will surpass me?”

Nadal officially retired after the 2024 Davis Cup, ending a professional career spanning more than two decades.Now, his focus has shifted to his family, his tennis academy in Mallorca, and the Rafa Nadal Foundation, which aims to support disadvantaged children through sports and education.

In the interview’s conclusion, Nadal acknowledged Djokovic’s current state: “I think we should be happy to have someone like Novak, who maintains a high level after many years on the court.”Regarding Alcaraz, Nadal expressed the care and support of a senior player: “Having Carlos is a blessing because he’s a great player representing us worldwide. More importantly, he has elevated tennis to an incredible level. I think we can only enjoy and appreciate all of this, that’s it.”(Source: Tennis Home Author: Mei)