"You can't be frustrated if somebody have more money than you" - When Rafael Nadal dismissed aiming for Federer's Slam tally after winning French Open

Rafael Nadal won his 17th Grand Slam at the 2018 French Open, defeating Dominic Thiem in straight sets in the final. It marked his 11th title at the tournament, making him the first player to win a Grand Slam 11 times in the Open Era.

However, the Spaniard was three short of Roger Federer's then record of 20 men's singles Majors. At his press conference after the win over Thiem, Nadal was asked if that was the number on his mind then.

The Spaniard, though, dismissed the idea, saying that he wanted to enjoy his tile first and that he was not one to be always thinking of more. While Nadal admitted that he was an ambitious person with big dreams of his own, he didn't think that it was healthy to get frustrated thinking about someone else having more money or titles than himself.

"Let me enjoy this title. No, no, no, I can't -- I can't be always thinking of more. Of course, I have ambition, of course. I have passion for what I am doing," Rafael Nadal said.

"But I never have been crazy about all this kind of stuff. No, you can't be frustrated always if somebody have more money than you, if somebody have a bigger house than you, if somebody have more Grand Slams than you. You can't live with that feeling, no? You have to do your way," he added.

The former World No. 1 acknowledged the possibility of one day beating Federer's 20 Slam-record, but he wanted to enjoy the fact that he added one more French Open to his kitty.

"Of course I would love to have 20 like Roger in the future or even more, but being honest, is something that is not in my mind. What is in my mind now is I won a very important title for me.

"I add one more Grand Slam. 17 is an amazing number. I feel very lucky to all of the things that have happened to me. I am enjoying that moment," he added.

Nadal went on to win three more French Open titles, in 2019, 2020 and 2022.

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"You have to be happy with the things that are happening to you" - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

At the press conference, Rafael Nadal emphasized his belief that it's important to enjoy the present rather than always looking to others or to the future.

He made it clear that he's not someone like the latter, adding that he thinks himself very lucky to have had as much success as he has.

"You have to be happy with the things that are happening to you, no? Because if you are looking next to you, you can be frustrated thinking that people have more things than you in general terms.

"I am not this kind of person. I happy that other people have things, and I am very satisfied, and I feel very lucky with all the things that happened it me," Rafael Nadal said.

Rafael Nadal eventually surpassed Roger Federer's 20 Slam tally, winning 22 Grand Slams. The only man who has won more than him in the Open Era is Novak Djokovic, with 24.