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Rafael Nadal has always been an appreciative champion, and he's especially that way now as, despite being deep into his career, the Spaniard continues to win "Big Titles" – a combination of Grand Slam, Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals crowns.


In what seems like an annual tradition now, the Spaniard added another Big Title at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo on Sunday, beating Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2 for his 11th Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters crown.

The victory gave the Spaniard his 31st Masters 1000 crown, putting him atop the all-time Masters 1000 leaderboard. Nadal also celebrated his 47th Big Title, which draws him even with Novak Djokovic for second place, still six behind Roger Federer, who has 53 Big Titles.

“My true feeling is these kind of things [are] not going to happen forever, so just try to enjoy and to play with the full passion and with the full energy and concentration, full love for the sport,” Nadal said.


“I know the day to say goodbye is closer than 10 years ago. Is something that I am not worried about, but is a real thing. So just enjoying every day and trying to play with the best attitude possible, to keep being happy playing tennis.”

The 31-year-old Nadal also improved his Big Title conversion rate. He and Djokovic are tied for the best rate, winning one Big Title every 3.5 opportunities. Federer has won an average of one Big Title every 4.1 chances.

Current and Former Champions' Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990)

Player

Grand Slams

Nitto ATP Finals

1000s

Total (Avg)

Roger Federer

20/72

6/15

27/129

53/216 (4.1)

Novak Djokovic

12/52

5/10

30/101

47/163 (3.5)

Rafael Nadal

16/51

0/8

31/108

47/165 (3.5)

Pete Sampras

14/52

5/11

11/83

30/146 (4.9)

Andre Agassi

8/61

1/13

17/90

26/164 (6.3)

Andy Murray

3/46

1/8

14/96

18/148 (8.2)

Boris Becker*

2/26

2/6

5/51

9/83 (9.2)

Thomas Muster

1/29

0/4

8/53

9/86 (9.6)

Gustavo Kuerten

3/33

1/3

5/67

9/103 (11.4)

Jim Courier

4/38

0/4

5/71

9/113 (12.6)

Stefan Edberg**

3/28

0/4

1/24

4/56 (14)

Marcelo Rios

0/26

0/1

5/56

5/83 (16.6)

Michael Chang

1/50

0/6

7/86

8/142 (17.

Marat Safin

2/41

0/3

5/87

7/131 (18.7)

Andy Roddick

1/46

0/6

5/75

6/127 (21.2)

* Becker's four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg's three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.

Read More: Nadal, Djokovic Drawn In Same Barcelona Quarter

Nadal, who has won a career-best 36 consecutive sets on clay, can't pull even with Federer's Big Title haul during the clay-court season. But, with three more Big Titles on clay – Mutua Madrid Open, Internazionali BNL d'Italia and Roland Garros – the World No. 1 can pull ahead of Djokovic as early as 13 May, the day of the Madrid final. Of course, Djokovic could do the same, setting up more must-see tennis on the European red dirt.

“Next week is another week that I have a tough draw in Barcelona,” Nadal said. “Is not the moment to stop and to disconnect your mind. Is the moment to stay focused and to keep holding that momentum, that is a good one after winning seven matches in a row on clay now, this year. That's a positive thing. The way that I won the matches is very positive. So is the moment to keep going, and that's my goal.”

ROGER FEDERER can claim to be the greatest tennis player of all time, overshadowing long-time rival Rafael Nadal, fellow professional Feliciano Lopez said.

By GEORGE MILLS
PUBLISHED: 11:09, Mon, May 14, 2018 | UPDATED: 11:15, Mon, May 14, 2018






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Roger Federer and Rafael NadalGETTY
Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time, Feliciano Lopez claimed
The Spaniard made the sensational claim in a recent interview with El Pais, conducted by Spanish tennis legend Manuel Santana.

“Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time,” Lopez stated.

“I have grown up with Roger, because we are from the same generation, so since we were children we have [known each other].

FedererGETTY
Federer has won a record eight Wimbledon titles
“Rafa and he are two figures with completely opposite games but it is clear that Roger is the best tennis player in history and there is no doubt about it.

“He is the most complicated opponent against which I have played.

“Murray is dangerous, but Federer has impressed me the most on the surface.”

Federer has claimed a record 17 titles on grass, including eight victories at Wimbledon – the most in the competition’s rich history.

Nadal and FedererGETTY
The two tennis superstars have ruled the sport for more than a decade
He reached an all-time record seven consecutive finals in the competition between 2003 and 2009, becoming the only man to do so in Open Era history.

The 36-year-old decided to sit out the clay court campaign this season for the second successive year after being dumped out of the Miami Masters.

He was teased by Nadal after making the announcement, who insinuated the Swiss superstar was avoiding facing him on clay.

Nadal will have the chance to reclaim the world No 1 spot from Federer this week if he can dethrone champion Alexander Zverev at the Italian Open.

Spaniard bolsters his Big Title conversion rate as well
Two down, one more to go.

Rafael Nadal may have stumbled in his bid to sweep all four “Big Titles” on clay, a feat he accomplished in 2010 when he won the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, the Mutua Madrid Open, the Internazionali BNL d'Italia and Roland Garros. Nadal fell to Dominic Thiem in the Madrid quarter-finals earlier this month.

But the 31-year-old Spaniard has still added two more Big Titles – a combination of Grand Slam, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals crowns – to his haul as the European clay-court season enters its final three weeks.

Winning Two Out Of Three Masters 1000 Titles On Clay

Player

Year(s)

Rafael Nadal

2005-09, 2012-13, 2017-18

Novak Djokovic

2011, 2015

Thomas Muster

1995-96

Gustavo Kuerten

1999

Andrei Medvedev

1994

*Madrid transitioned from hard court to clay in 2009

Nadal won Masters 1000 title No. 31 in Monte-Carlo last month, and on Sunday, the Spaniard celebrated his 32nd Masters 1000 crown, beating Alexander Zverev in the Rome final 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Nadal's eighth Rome crown further padded his lead against Novak Djokovic (30) and Roger Federer (27) on the all-time Masters 1000 titles leaderboard. Before the clay-court swing began, Nadal and Djokovic were even at 30 all.

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Nadal also has snuck ahead of Djokovic in two other areas: his overall Big Title count and his improved Big Title conversion rate. Nadal now has 48 Big Titles to Djokovic's 47, and the Spaniard has won one Big Title every 3.47 opportunities, while Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in the Rome semi-finals, has won an average of one Big Title every 3.51 chances.

“It means a lot to win in Rome here again,” Nadal said.

Both Nadal and Djokovic remain ahead of the all-time Big Titles leader, Roger Federer, with their superior conversion rates. Federer has won one Big Title every 4.1 opportunities.

Current and Former Champions' Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990)

Player

Grand Slams

Nitto ATP Finals

1000s

Total (Avg)

Roger Federer

20/72

6/15

27/129

53/216 (4.1)

Rafael Nadal 16/51 0/8 32/110 48/167 (3.5)
Novak Djokovic

12/52

5/10

30/103

47/165 (3.5)

Pete Sampras

14/52

5/11

11/83

30/146 (4.9)

Andre Agassi

8/61

1/13

17/90

26/164 (6.3)

Andy Murray

3/46

1/8

14/96

18/148 (8.2)

Boris Becker*

2/26

2/6

5/51

9/83 (9.2)

Thomas Muster

1/29

0/4

8/53

9/86 (9.6)

Gustavo Kuerten

3/33

1/3

5/67

9/103 (11.4)

Jim Courier

4/38

0/4

5/71

9/113 (12.6)

Stefan Edberg**

3/28

0/4

1/24

4/56 (14)

Marcelo Rios

0/26

0/1

5/56

5/83 (16.6)

Michael Chang

1/50

0/6

7/86

8/142 (17.

Marat Safin

2/41

0/3

5/87

7/131 (18.7)

Andy Roddick

1/46

0/6

5/75

6/127 (21.2)

* Becker's four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg's three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.

The next – and final – Big Title up for grabs on clay this year will be Roland Garros, which begins Sunday. Nadal will be going for his 11th Roland Garros title and his 17th Grand Slam crown.

But don't count out Djokovic, who won Roland Garros in 2016 to become the eighth man to win the career Grand Slam and the third man to hold all four major championships at once. The Serbian reached his first quarter-final and semi-final of the season in Rome before falling to Nadal 7-6(4), 6-3 during their 51st FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

Read & Watch: Nadal Survives Battle Against Djokovic

“I don't think that there was too much of a difference, which is great news for me. Because Rafa is, of course, the best player ever to play tennis on clay courts. And he's in great, great form,” Djokovic said after losing to Nadal in Rome.

“I've played four matches here. I didn't really expect anything coming into this tournament, when it comes to results, because I didn't have many great results in the last period. So I'm pleased with how I've played the last three days, very pleased. And hopefully Roland Garros can be just a continuation of this run.”