Rafael Nadal’s beauty lay in his purity as a competitor

To appreciate the retiring Rafael Nadal we can flip through record books, hunt down Uncle Toni, sift the clay for archaeological clues, speak to Roger Federer’s therapist, delve into the physics of spin, but really it’s best if we start with a dictionary.  

Not just any dictionary but an etymological one which considers the origin of words. To go back in time seems appropriate because what the Spaniard owned was something ancient, too. A primitive urge which made him fearful and attractive all at once.