Nadal Has His Eye On Federer’s Slam Record

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 12th September 2013

Nadal Has His Eye On Federer’s Slam Record

epa03863221 Spanish Davis Cup Team player Rafael Nadal smiles during the team's training session at Caja Magica pavilion, Madrid, Spain, 11 September 2013. Spain will face Ukrania in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off round this weekend. EPA/JuanJo Martin |

Rafael Nadal is far from overconfident that he might somehow be able to surpass the all-time record held by rival Roger Federer of 17 career grand slam event singles titles.

But with the Spaniard who won the US Open and standing just one trophy short of the 14 held by Pete Sampras, the question has to be asked. Is it reachable?

“Yes and no,” Nadal told dpa, the German news agency, after beating Novak Djokovic in the New York final. “You don’t know, you never know. Eight months ago it looked like I didn’t have a chance of winning anything – and now: to imagine I can win another four Grand Slams?

“You simply have to have your stability, to look to see how things develop over the next few years. If I’m fit I trust I will get the chance to fight for what I have fought for.”

Nadal owns ten titles this season and is a serious threat to displace Djokovic on the year-end world No. 1 ranking. The pair could meet later this month in Beijing followed by Shanghai. “(Setting a record) is not something I think about,” he said. “After all I have achieved far more than I could have dreamed and no one can take that away from me.”

Nadal knows that his future success depends as much on his suspect left knee as his tennis form. And after missing seven months on the ATP from summer 2012 until last February, nothing is certain. “There are always doubts,” he said. “There are a lot of days when the knee causes trouble but fortunately it does not hamper me. It lets me play, that’s the most important thing.”

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, US Open