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New York. Rafael Nadal doesn’t yet consider himself among the best tennis players in history.

No matter that he is only the seventh man to win each Grand Slam title. Or that only six men finished with higher totals of major championships.

A day after achieving his first US Open championship, here is as far as he was willing to go on Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press: “I know I am a little bit in the history of tennis now, winning this last tournament. But I’m still 24, so we will see where I am when I finish my career.”

Indeed, Nadal insisted he couldn’t be sure he would add to the Grand Slam trophies he had already earned — five at the French Open, two at Wimbledon, and one each at the Australian Open and US Open — let alone challenge Roger Federer’s record of 16.

“I don’t know if I’m going to win another one,” Nadal said, earnest as can be. He paused, then explained: “You never know when this will start, and when this will stop.”

After playing in Federer’s shadow for years, Nadal is now the one to watch. It’s Nadal who is ranked world No. 1. It’s Nadal who has proved himself on all surfaces.

It’s Nadal who has a chance to complete a Rafa Slam by winning the Australian Open in January. He would be the first man with four major titles in a row since Rod Laver pulled off a true Grand Slam in 1969.

A little more than 12 hours after finishing his four-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final for a third-consecutive major title, Nadal was still coming to grips with the significance of the result.

“It’s difficult to stop and think,” Nadal said. “When I get home, it will be easier.” He also insisted his latest tennis triumph did not qualify him as Spain’s greatest-ever athlete. He added any comparisons to the greats was “madness.”

Nadal’s triumphs have played a big part of a tremendous year of international sporting success for Spain, which won football’s World Cup for the first time this year and saw Alberto Contador take his third Tour de France.

“I don’t know where [my successes] fit into this year. They are all important,” Nadal said. “Luckily, we’re living during an era of Spanish sport that will be difficult to repeat. Of course we could repeat it, but we should enjoy it [now].”

Nadal’s rivals for consideration as Spain’s all-time sporting great include the likes of five-time Tour champion Miguel Indurain and two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso.

While Nadal has replaced four-time majors champion Manolo Santana as the country’s greatest tennis player, the Mallorca native still feels he can still get better.

“I’m not a complete player — there are always things I can improve,” Nadal said. “[But] I’m so happy with everything that happened and can’t ask for anything more”

Give Nadal credit for consistency. He’s always talking about how important it is to keep improving.

Asked which of his many accomplishments makes him proudest, Nadal began by mentioning his first French Open title, in 2005; then his second, the next year; his first Wimbledon championship, earned with a victory over Federer in 2008’s “dramatic final,” as Nadal called it; his gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics; his 2009 Australian Open title; Spain’s 2004 Davis Cup title.

Then, right when it seemed Nadal might very well keep going, he grew more contemplative.

Referring to the “very difficult” second half of 2009 — which included knee and abdominal injuries, the only French Open loss of his career, his withdrawal from Wimbledon, and his parents’ separation — Nadal spoke about rebounding so strongly.

“I wanted a lot to be back,” he said. “And now, I am better. I did better than before. That’s very huge.”

And yet, as well as Nadal has played since April — 43-3 with six titles — he is hardly satisfied. What still needs work, then?

Nadal sighed, then rattled off a serious “to do” list:

• Make sure his serve gets even better, even though he won 106 of 111 service games en route to the title, tying the tournament record for fewest lost.

• Hone his court positioning.

• Improve his slice backhand and volleys.

• His backhand and forehand winners “can improve a little bit more.”

Djokovic said: “That’s what’s so frustrating, a little bit: He’s getting better each time you play him.” Nadal said Federer, his main rival, was still the benchmark of the sport and should not be written off yet.

“I would love to have the success of Federer,” Nadal said. “In nine years he’s achieved things that are practically impossible to repeat. It’s difficult to be 100 percent each year, but he’s managed to do it and it’s normal to have a little drop.”


Associated Press