Rafael Nadal's art of grit and determination

A penchant for beauty has been an indelible hallmark of human character throughout history. The romanticisation of beautiful objects, the adoration of the gorgeous and transformative art have shaped and reshaped the human narrative. A love for beauty and art can be traced to the origin of the species.

This love has transgressed boundaries and invaded almost every sphere of life, including sporting endeavour. Be it football, cricket, basketball or golf, the spectators have always loved those with silken touches, deft tricks, athletes possessing a sense of enthralling finery.

Then in one moment of sporting history, a man named Rafael Nadal arrived. He decided to toss this conventional idolisation of beauty out the window and compose a different narrative of art: One with grit and determination.

Rafael Nadal's tennis is not beautiful. He is not Roger Federer whose single shot can trigger ripples of bewildered gasps and amazement. No, Nadal lacks the finery. When one sees the demolition of Novak Djokovic in a clay court fortress to clinch his 20th Grand Slam and 13th French Open (Roland Garros), one may then ask, does it matter? Nadal not only stamped his imperial seal on the 'greatest of all time' debate (although Novak can still break the seal), but he also answered the critics who taunted his style all those years ago, when in 2002 he arrived as a long-haired muscular entity.

It was an arrival that warned the tennis kingdom of a shift in the power structure. Federer, the beloved of the crowd, was the then undisputed ruler. Federer was hailed as the saviour of beautiful tennis, someone who painted with a racket in hand. Nadal's style, in contrast, looked like a haphazardly created sculpture, one without finishing touches and gloss.

Three years later, Nadal won his first Grand Slam, and not ironically, it was the French Open. Tennis had a new challenger and a celebration that defined his crude style: A bite on the trophy.

When he defeated Federer in the same Grand Slam in 2006, the claim to the throne became bolder. Federer, despite all his skill and mastery over the game, found it difficult to control the indomitable energy of the Spaniard.

The unchecked torrent went on to sweep aside everything in its way. It gobbled up two more Grand Slams, both at Roland Garros, and steadily marched towards Federer's fortress: The Wimbledon.

For some reason, Wimbledon has always been considered the most elite among the Grand Slams. Possibly because it is British, or maybe because it is the oldest tennis tournament. People have revered it, respected its immaculate sophistication. It is important to understand here that every Grand Slam poses a unique challenge for the competitors. For Nadal, Wimbledon became a tournament of paramount importance. Conquering the grass would mean making a dent in Federer's supremacy and a making a play for his throne.

Nadal defeated Federer in an epic battle. The win against Wimbledon's favourite son completed Nadal's coronation.

Is Rafael Nadal the greatest tennis player ever? That is a matter for expert debate. He has left his mark on the sport beyond the Grand Slam numbers. Though Federer has called the 13th French Open victory Nadal's greatest achievement, his greatest accomplishment may lie in shaping the definition of tennis.

It is in shattering stereotypes and conventional thoughts that Nadal has made his most significant contributions to the sport. His arrival and growth over the years have revolutionised it, moulded it into a raw, brute force domain where fitness reigns supreme. Nadal is supremely talented but what stands out more is the artistry that he has forged through grit and determination. It is here that the 2008 Wimbledon victory assumes additional significance, for it was the victory of an unconventional, unattractive style of play at the home of the sport's aristocratic sentiment.

Nadal's grunts will forever echo through the annals of tennis history. And let the world bow before the indomitable passion of a true champion of champions.