Rafael Nadal recorded an emphatic win at the Barcelona Open earlier this year after he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the finals. Now, the King of Clay will chase a record-extending 14th Roland Garros title. However, things could have been very different for the 20-time Grand Slam champion as he described in a recent interview. Here is Rafael Nadal's heartfelt confession about how Covid-19 affected his tennis and other details on the 34-year old tennis ace.

After winning the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award for a second time Rafael Nadal reflected on the challenges people faced over the last 12 months. The 34-year-old said that it was a 'tough year' for everyone and there were a number of people who are suffering around the world. Nadal added that "a lot of people have lost a family member" while others have lost "their companies, their job." The Spanish champion has regularly spoken about the difficulties faced by people around the world due to the pandemic and has also offered support through his own foundation, the Rafael Nadal Foundation.