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.

- Rohit Brijnath

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. The relentless appetite to "compete".

The online etymology dictionary traces the word to the French "competer" or to "be in rivalry with" and the late Latin "competere" or to "strive after something in company with or together".

Compete is the essence of sport, it is why the athlete arrives at the field. Multiple rivalries occur at once during competition, for the athlete strives to outdo another person and yet also himself. At its very highest form he gives everything he owns to a match and in turn offers something profound to the audience. And this was the elemental appeal of Nadal, for he came with something which was unwavering. A guarantee that he would compete.