"Rafael Nadal, and it is not even close" - Tennis fans respond to who the greatest left-handed athlete is on the occasion of International Left-handers Day

Rafael Nadal, tennis player extraordinaire and holder of a men's record 22 Grand Slam titles, is arguably one of the most recognized left-handed athletes of all time. Although a natural right-hander, the Mallorcan was made to play with his left hand from a very young age by his uncle Toni as a ploy to make him a more difficult and unorthodox opponent.

The ploy worked out rather splendidly, as the former World No. 1 has gone on to win a record 14 titles at the French Open and remains a formidable foe even at the age of 36.

On the occasion of International Left-handers Day on August 13, ESPN SportsCenter's official Twitter handle posted a question asking their fans to pick who the greatest left-handed athlete of all time was, and it was the World No. 3's name that popped up the most.

One fan was of the opinion that it should not even be a debate, posting:

"[Rafael] Nadal... and it's not even close."

Another user went one step further, stating that the former World No. 1 could even be considered the greatest athlete of all time, not just the best ever lefty, and tweeted:

"Same answer would hold for best athlete of all time, let alone best left-handed athlete."

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

Rafael Nadal kicks off his 2022 Cincinnati Masters campaign on Wednesday

Rafael Nadal will be looking to win his second Cincinnati Masters title this year

Meanwhile, the "greatest left-handed athlete of all-time" is back in action at the 2022 Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday, where he will take on either Borna Coric or a qualifier/lucky loser in the second round. Thanks to his No. 2 seeding in the tournament, the Spaniard received a bye in the first round.

A potential meeting with compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta awaits the 36-year-old in the third round, while either seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or 10th seed Jannik Sinner is likely to be his quarterfinal opponent.

With third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the same half of the draw, the teenage sensation is widely expected to meet the former World No. 1 in the semifinals, setting up a potential blockbuster clash. Finally, top seed Daniil Medvedev is the overwhelming favorite to reach the summit clash from the top half, followed by fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz.

Rafael Nadal has won the Cincinnati Masters only once in the past, way back in 2013. Since then, he is yet to reach a final at this event, a record he will want to set right this coming week.