MY ACCOUNT
Rafael Nadal said he will not measure himself against other players’ records until his career is over after adding another trophy to his impressive collection, beating Cameron Norrie in straight sets to lift the Mexican Open.
Nadal continued his undefeated start to 2022 with his third title for the year after beating the British sixth seed 6-4 6-4 in Acapulco on Saturday.
He is now on a run of 15-0 this season, claiming his 91st ATP Tour crown along the way.
It was also Nadal’s fourth Mexican Open title, having previously won in 2005, 2013 and 2020.
His recent win at the Australian Open put him clear of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on 21 grand slam titles, but he still sits behind Ivan Lendl (94), Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) for ATP tournament victories.
After his win in Mexico, Nadal said he is not concerned about records as long as he is still playing, saying: “At the end of the day, I’ve always said that this kind of record needs to be measured once your career is over.
“Today the most important thing is that I have won a prestigious tournament.”
The 35-year-old’s incredible form is all the more impressive considering he was forced to miss last year’s US Open to deal with a foot issue that troubled him all the way to the lead-up to January’s Australian Open.
“It was complicated, and I ended up taking the victory. Looking back, a few weeks ago this would have looked impossible,” he added.
“It’s amazing how things can change in such a short span, from not being able to practice and now to be where I am today.”
