Every flock needs a cleareyed thinker, and tennis is blessed to have Nadal, whose plain talk throughout this year of the pandemic has been a model of humility, empathy and perspective. When Nadal talks — in his native Spanish, English or French — his fellow players listen. The Tao of Rafa resonated with Jabeur, who said, “If he’s a champion and he doesn’t complain, I mean, who am I to complain about it right now?”Set straight by Nadal’s straight talk, Jabeur proceeded to become the first Arab woman at Roland Garros to advance to the round of 16. “I think he’s happy when I’m winning and I’m happy when he’s doing the things well,” he said. Federer, sidelined this year after undergoing two knee surgeries, is not done competing, so there is a sense that Nadal is chasing a moving target.

Source: New York Times October 11, 2020 03:56 UTC