Rafael Nadal, Modest Warrior With Iron Will To Win

There are three certainties in life -- death, taxes and Rafael Nadal winning the French Open. The Spaniard secured a 14th title at Roland Garros with a straight-sets rout of Casper Ruud on Sunday, swelling his record-setting Grand Slam collection to 22. Nadal, the oldest ever champion in Paris at 36, now has 112 match wins on the famous crushed red brick against just three defeats in 17 years. "He is a great champion, he is humble. He is the best athlete I have ever seen in any sport," another tennis legend, John McEnroe said in January when Nadal collected the Australian Open.

However, you will never hear Nadal indulge in any similar self-praise.

Just as happy fishing or playing golf in Manacor, Nadal is ruthless on the tennis court but disarmingly humble off it.

"I have doubts every day but that's good as it makes me work hard with more intensity," said Nadal, whose career has been constantly under siege from knee, wrist and foot injuries.

"Life is never clear. If you have no doubts, then you are very arrogant. I am not an arrogant person."

It is that forthright modesty which endears Nadal to his legion of fans as is his respect for opponents.

Respect

He applauds every vanquished foe off court at every tournament.

When Alexander Zverev was forced to retire with an ankle injury in their semi-final on Friday, Nadal stayed with his tearful German rival in the medical room.

"If you are human, you have sympathy for a colleague," he explained.

Nadal's idiosyncracies are just as charming to his supporters even if the time it takes him to complete his rituals can drive opponents to distraction.

His picking at the rear of his shorts and mopping of his brow, aligned with his obsessive devotion to lining up his water bottles,