“Of course, Nadal pushed it too far but that’s what makes Rafa Rafa” – Carole Bouchard

Noted tennis journalist Carole Bouchard believes that Rafael Nadal pushed himself and his body too far at the recently concluded Roland-Garros Championships, which the Spaniard won for a record 14th time.

Nadal defeated four top 10 players, including top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals and Norway’s Casper Ruud in the final, to life his 22nd Grand Slam singles title.

Bouchard says that Nadal’s special relationship with Roland-Garros was one of the primary reasons due to which he pushed himself over the past fortnight.

“After Rome, with the pain he had he knew he had to play with the pain and do everything I can in order to win in Roland-Garros. This is a tournament I need and whatever happens, we will see. Throughout his career, he has played at Wimbledon when his foot was asleep. he tried to play Miami with a broken rib. He has a threshold to pain which is much much higher than anyone else and he is constantly pushing the limit. It is not reasonable. People would say it is insane,” Bouchard said.

“But the relationship between Rafa and Roland-Garros is not a normal relationship He has put so much effort into this tournament. He needs this tournament to keep going. He cannot imagine to give up. Of course, he pushed it too far but that’s what makes Rafa Rafa.”

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