By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 17, 2025
Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Facing Rafael Nadal In a match I can even teased experience for the high benefits.
Playing Nadal in practice was even worse, say two former Americans.
In their new episode Nothing great podcast, Sam Queerrey and Stevie Johnson shared the two “worst partners of practice” they ever encountered: Rafael Nadal AND Reilly Opelka.
Queerrey, who defeated Nadal 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the final of Acapulco 2017, said that the pure power of the king of Clay to his left-handed left and his strong competition made him a partner of nightmare.
“Rafa is very bad. We’ve talked about this before,” said Queerrey, who was 1-5 Lifetime vs Nadal. “Rafa just hits every ball as much as possible.”
“Rafa is bad,” Johnson agreed.
Ex -numri 1 nadal is second only to mass server Reilly Opelka Among the worst practice partners, according to Queerrey and Johnson.
This is because Opelka chooses the nuclear option in service and stroke and the result is no pace and some rallies to the opposing player.
“Reilly is a bad,” Johnson said. “He is a great society there, but unlike John (Isner), (Opelka) would go to full mode in practice. John, I will reiterate this again, a good partner of practice. He would not come up completely in his service, a great pace from the earth. Like you would get a really good rhythm with John.
“But Reilly, he makes him the right way to him. He will go like two first services, hit 74 forced mistakes and 80 winners in a practice. As you just have no idea what you will get.
See Pair Crown Nadal and Opelka the worst here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dby2yhid9_y
Rafael Nadal was known for his wild front hitting up to 6 to 8 MPH faster in practice than in the game game.
In a past interview with tennis now, Tony Nadal, The original coach and uncle of Rafa Nadal mentioned his nephew’s passion for practice and incomparable intensity during practice as key factors for his great greatness.
“I was lucky enough to train a guy who was so excited for any single practice as he would play every match,” Uncle Nadal Tennis told Tony now in an interview at Tennis Rafa Nadal in Costa Mujeres, Mexico.
Interesting, Qurare quoted one of the three men to defeat the King of Argila in Roland Garros, Robin soderlingas one of the two partners of the worst heating practice with all the time he ever faced.
“I know who were the two worst heat partners. If you are going to warm up for a match for 30 minutes. It was Robin soderling OR Lukas Rosol (as the worst) – they just hit every ball as much as they could, “Queerrey said.” You come into the net they just rip it in you as super intense not as smooth for the first two minutes. It was not fun. ”
