Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is hitting his prime, and has clearly stated his claim as the best tennis player in the game today. Many people have said that he has surpassed Roger Federer as the best player in the game, and he is hoping he can continue to live up to the billing.

On August 18, 2008, Nadal took over the spot as the number one men’s player in the world, after sitting at number two for a record 160 weeks. This has helped intensify the rivalry between himself and Federer, which has grown into one of the best there has ever been in tennis. The two players have faced each other in six Grand Slam Finals, with Nadal having the edge 4 to 2 over Federer. Nadal’s win over Federer at the 2008 Wimbledon final is considered by many as the greatest tennis match ever, and is the one that started the rumor of the torch being passed to Nadal. Nadal won the French Open in 2008 for the 4th consecutive time, becoming the fourth male tennis player to win the same Grand Slam title for four consecutive years.

Nadal is still too young to really be considered as one of the best of all time, but if he can continue his stellar play, he can definitely be there once his career is over. He is only 22 years old and has already accomplished more than many other tennis players. With many more matches to play in his future, many fans wonder if he can one day be the best ever.