As Mike Tyson returns to the ring against Jake Paul, his daughter Milan continues to excel in tennis

As the Brit praised Rafa's "quick thinking", the lefty asserted Murray is the only player to approach the "same level" as the Big 3 during their careers.

ByBaseline Staff

Published May 10, 2024

Legends recognize legends!

As Andy Murray gears up to make his return from an ankle injury, the former world No. 1 has been following the action in Rome.

Naturally keeping up with Rafael Nadal’s final appearance at the Foro Italico, Murray offered his take on an incredible point the left-hander won after slipping on the baseline. The Brit’s X post gave a sneak peek at the quality insights he’d provide if he ever decides to take up commentary down the road.

“I think the best athletes/players are the quickest thinkers and this is perfect illustration of this,” he began.

“Notice how Rafa gets up from the fall…Sees that the incoming ball is slow enough that he will reach it so takes a split second to wipe his right hand on his thigh in case he needs it to hit a backhand later in the point.”

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I think the best athletes/players are the quickest thinkers and this is perfect illustration of this. Notice how Rafa gets up from the fall…Sees that the incoming ball is slow enough that he will reach it so takes a split second to wipe his right hand on his thigh in case he… https://t.co/3FKL9ZsVXa
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) May 9, 2024

Nadal, who would later finish off a three-set comeback against qualifier Zizou Bergs, was asked about his long-time colleague afterwards in press.

“He had a lot of finals. He was an amazing player that probably played in a difficult moment of the history of tennis because he share the tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger and myself,” said the 22-time major winner.

“He was, in my feeling, the one that he was at the same level than us in general terms. In terms of victories, it's true that he achieved less. In terms of level of tennis, in terms of hold mentally the winning spirit week after week, he was the only one that was very close to be at the same level (as) us.”

Nadal set up a second-round encounter with eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz. The Spaniard is seeking his 11th career title at the ATP Masters 1000 event, having reached the 70-win mark with his latest effort.

While Murray isn’t at the Foro Italico, things are certainly looking up. Two days after he was announced by the Geneva Open as a wild card, the three-time major winner was confirmed to take a wild card into next week’s Bordeaux Challenger. It was also revealed that Murray will partner Dan Evans in doubles at Roland Garros, a possible preview of what’s to come at the Paris 2024 Olympics?