"What I love and respect about Nadal is that you can never tell whether it's the first round of a tournament or if it's the final" - Leading sports betting analyst praises Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal's fighting spirit on the court is a facet of his game he is perhaps most famous for. He is often praised for 'playing every point as his last' and leading sports betting analyst Pamela Maldonado feels that mentality sets him apart from the rest of the tour.

Maldonado believes the Spaniard is nearing the end of his tennis career and his peak years are now past him. In light of the same, she revealed what makes her respect and admire him, most of which is his ability to play every point with the same intensity.

Speaking during an episode of the Tennis Channel: Inside-In podcast, the Yahoo Sports analyst said that the former World No. 1 treats a first-round match the same as a final, and that makes him a standout from the pack.

"This is what I'm going to miss the most about him, we're already talking as if he's retiring tomorrow. But this is what I love and respect about Nadal is that you can never tell whether it's the first round of a tournament or if it's the final," Maldonando said.

"He plays every point as if it matters the most and it is the most important point that he's had. That's what you don't see from a lot of players honestly. But you see that every single time, every tournament, every point, every shot from Nadal," she added.

She further stated that watching the Spanish great play live is at the top of her bucket list for the 2023 tennis season. While Maldonado missed the chance to see Roger Federer play live, she does want to miss the opportunity to see the Mallorcan, especially because he does not have many years left on tour, she further expressed.

"I'm already planning my 2023 'what tournaments to watch' schedule. I want to watch Nadal, I don't care if it's a 250 tournament...I missed my opportunity to watch Federer live, I have seen Novak Djokovic fortunately at last year's US Open. I want to see Nadal in person, I want to see the bull mentality I love," she stated.

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Rafael Nadal takes to the practice courts at Paris Masters

The Spaniard is a 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Rafael Nadal landed in Paris earlier this week for the 2022 Paris Masters and also took to the practice courts for his first training session. He hit a few rallies with French player Quentin Halys before also hitting a few balls with his coach Carlos Moya on the other side of the net. This is the Spaniard's first tour-level singles tournament since his exit in the 4th round of the US Open.

The 36-time title winner at the ATP Masters 1000 level is yet to win the Paris Masters. He is also looking for his maiden ATP Finals title, which is his next tournament after Paris and his final tournament on tour this season. However, the Spaniard is scheduled to play in an exhibition tour of South America and Mexico alongside Casper Ruud. He could begin his 2023 season at the newly-announced United Cup in Australia.