The 2005 Roland Garros marked the Mallorcan’s 6th ever Grand Slam and his first ever French Open. Seeded 4th in the tournament, he defeated four seeded players on his way to the title (his first ever Major), including a victory over top seed Roger Federer in the semifinals.
In the article (archive can be found here), the Australian compared the World No. 5 to then World No. 1 Roger Federer. Cash was of the opinion that Federer’s demeanor was more on the calm and unemotional side of things. But Nadal, then only a teenager, seemed to emphasize on showing his opponents how much he relished beating them.
Pat Cash listed many of the attributes that he thought were important in the 35-year-old’s arsenal, such as his agility, his racket speed and even his serving. But what the former World No. 4 felt was the backbone of Nadal’s guaranteed success in the years to come was his mental determination and grit.
“The physique had not developed and he looked like a child, but there was a maturity when Rafael Nadal was under pressure” - Pat Cash
Pat Cash prefaced all this by recalling an incident where he played Rafael Nadal in an exhibition match in 2001, back when the former World No. 1 was only 14 years of age. Even then, Cash recollected, the Spaniard had remarkable maturity when it came under pressure from his opponents.
Cash recounted that he initially thought of the Mallorcan’s trademark fistbump celebration, a habit he has retained until today, as “disrespectful.” But once he got over the glum of being defeated by a “child”, the 56-year-old could not ignore the sheer talent that was right in front of his eyes.
Cash went on to refer to him as the “future King of Clay,” a title that would come true within years of the Australian writing so.
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