John McEnroe Makes Bold Statement About Rafael Nadal’s Champion Status

Getty Image

• Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open, his 21st career Grand Slam win
• John McEnroe made a bold statement regarding Nadal’s status as a tennis champion
• Read more tennis news here

The Australian Open wrapped up early Sunday morning with a familiar face holding the crown. Spaniard Rafael Nadal walked away with his second ever Aussie Open victory, landing the 21st Grand Slam title of his career. Those 21 major championships rank first all-time in professional tennis, slightly besting Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who sit at 20 each.

The winning match exemplified Nadal’s fighting character. After going down two sets early, the lefty battled back to take down tournament favorite Daniil Medvedev. Nadal took the final three sets to leave Melbourne with a huge upset win. He entered the Open as a 10/1 longshot.

With the underdog rising back to championship status, folks around the professional tennis world took note of the come-from-behind win. Former tennis star and personality John McEnroe chimed in on Nadal’s status and legacy in the sport following the victory.

Check it out below:

McEnroe states that Nadal is the “humblest, classiest champion of almost every athlete I’ve ever seen in any sport.”

He would go further to commend the veteran’s impressive performance amid a championship surrounded by controversy.

“I’ve watched a lot of tennis and I’ve seen a lot of unbelievable champions, I’ve seen Nadal give these kinds of efforts in the past and I didn’t think he could top it. To do what he just did here, at this point in his career, and shift the narrative again from Djokovic and shift it to him, it’s hard to believe.”

At one point during the final match, McEnroe actually made the comment that the tournament was “all but over,” with Medvedev leading two sets to none. Nadal, of course, re-wrote that ending with a victory of his own, cementing his status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.