Davenport lauds praise on Nadal's work ethic: "We are so lucky that he chose our sport and he’s still in our game"

Speaking to the Tennis Channel, Davenport said that the sport is lucky to still have Nadal due to his work ethic and his desire to win even as he approaches the twilight of his career.

“I dare anybody to say they have seen Rafael Nadal take a point off trying his hardest [or] a practise [off] trying his hardest. I just marvel at how he still has that motivation. Getting into his mid-thirties, he’s just as motivated now as he was in his teenage years.

Normally that is what takes players out of the game. They can’t call on that reserve energy to get through tough practises day in and day out. They lose their zest for going to tournaments and going through the grind of the tour.

But you see Rafa and you hear him [say] ‘I love this. I want to be here more than anywhere else in the world. When you watch him play, it is that motivation, that inner desire that seems deeper in him than most other players we have ever seen. We are so lucky that he chose our sport and he’s still in our game”.