Spanish tennis player Jorge Martinez Martinez, ranked 663rd in the ATP rankings, recently revealed during an interview that he admired Roger Federer more than compatriot Rafael Nadal.
Jorge Martinez Martinez started playing tennis professionally in 2012, and is currently active on the ATP Challenger Tour. He achieved his career-high ranking of 552nd earlier this year in July.
Martinez Martinez recently talked about a variety of things related to his tennis life in an interview with Marca. He said he looked up to Roger Federer while growing up and was fascinated by the Swiss maestro’s style of play.
Martinez Martinez also admitted to feeling aggrieved by his compatriot Nadal’s success against Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon Championships final.
“I have always been Federer’s [fan], for his style, for his elegance, he had tennis in his DNA. Nadal has given me many upsets. I remember when he beat Roger in the Wimbledon final. I was 12 years old and it was a big disappointment,” Martinez Martinez said [quotes translated from Spanish].
Federer lost the London Major summit clash after a four-hour-and-48-minute-long battle with Nadal. The Swiss managed to delay defeat by winning the third and fourth sets after losing the first two, even saving a match point in the fourth. However, that proved futile as he failed to cross the finish line in the decider. Nadal ultimately won the contest 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7.
Interestingly, Martinez Martinez, as things stand, is one spot ahead of Nadal on the ATP rankings list. However, Nadal’s low ranking is due to an injury-related absence from tournaments during the 2023 season. The 22-time Grand Slam champion missed most of the season after sustaining a hip injury at the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal to compete at Brisbane International tournament on his return
Rafael Nadal is confirmed to make his comeback at the Brisbane International tournament, which is scheduled to begin on December 31, 2023. The Spaniard recently announced his return to competitive tennis on his social media accounts via a video message.
The 37-year-old’s last outing resulted in a loss to Mackenzie McDonald, on January 18, 2023 in the second round of the Australian Open. Nadal looked out of touch throughout the match against the American. Notably, he was the defending champion at the tournament.
The 2024 season is likely to be Nadal’s last year as a professional tennis player. Nadal’s illustrious career boasts 14 French Open titles, four US Open titles, and two titles each at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He also held the World No. 1 ranking for a staggering 209 weeks.
