"I don't like it" - Rafael Nadal expresses discontent over the current trend of hard-hitting tennis; reveals aspects of the sport he does not relish

Rafael Nadal has expressed his love for the tactical side of tennis and stated that the modern game has seen hard-hitting players thrive a lot more.

Nadal has always employed an intense physical game that's littered with drawn-out rallies and a big reliance on a strong defense. In comparison, his long-time rival and friend Roger Federer has a game that is fluid and not as taxing on the body physically, thanks to his ability to end points quickly.

In a recent interview with El Pais, the Spaniard stated that tennis balls are softer than usual now, which has led to players hitting them harder. With the ball zipping faster than ever, players are more focused on ensuring their rackets meet the ball hard from the get-go, leaving no room for tactical thinking.

"They have made balls softer than usual. And people hit it harder, it's logical. It is pure evolution of mankind. There has been an evolution to a tennis of hitting harder, of hitting practically without thinking. It is a tennis that does not require any preparation of the point to find the winning shot. Most players play very similar. Everyone hits the ball very hard. From the first ball," Nadal said.

"On hard court it is very difficult to see tactical matches, because the game does not allow it. The ball goes so fast that you just have to keep the level of the ball. To return it, come on," he added.

While the 22-time Grand Slam champion has come to accept this modern aspect of the sport, he stated that he does not enjoy it one bit.

"I don't like it. I see sport as another way of thinking, of analyzing, of looking for solutions. In tennis, the solution is always to play very well, to have a very precise level of shot, and to be right. There is little tactics," he said.

---

Rafael Nadal: "No matter how hard you hit the ball, the best players are always control players"

Rafael Nadal in action at the 2024 Brisbane International.

While he acknowledged that there are more hard-hitting players on the tour than ever, Rafael Nadal believes that the best tennis players are those who have control of the proceedings and play tactically.

"No matter how hard you hit the ball, the best players are always control players. You don't see very top players who don't feel the ball extraordinarily. Because in the end the matches are decided in a few balls and the players with more sensitivity in the hand are those who have more regularity, those who are at the top, those who appear in the final rounds," Nadal said.

"Explosive players are very dangerous, yes, but they are a Russian roulette: they have the day, or not. And in my career I've learned something: playing badly and winning makes the difference. And you can only do that by controlling the games however you are playing," he added.

Having decided to remain on the sidelines for most of the 2023 season to focus on injury recovery, Nadal has returned to action this month at the ongoing Brisbane International.

After beating 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem and Australian wildcard Jason Kubler, he will lock horns with Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals on Friday, January 5.