Nadal reflects on similarity of play on tour: "Every ball is hit with the goal of winning the point"
Players now hit harder and play more offense than when he first came on tour, Nadal told press prior to an exhibition in Buenos Aires.
WATCH: Novak Djokovic defeats Casper Ruud in the 2022 ATP Finals championship match.
Rafael Nadal has seen a lot of changes during his 20-year pro career, including the way the sport is played.
Players now hit harder and play more offense than when he first came on tour, he told press prior to an exhibition in Buenos Aires.
"It was played differently," Nadal said. "Before the points were constructed looking for the right ball to attack—not every ball was attacked. Today, there are no transition shots or point construction. Every ball is hit with the goal of winning the point."
The 36-year-old Spaniard has also adjusted his own game, going from a more grinding, defensive backcourt game to hitting bigger more often and finishing points sooner. He's been successful with both, getting his first Grand Slam at the French Open as a teenager and two Slam trophies this season as an elder statesman on tour, plus 19 in between.
"It has been good for me, nothing has to change for me," said Nadal, though adding, ''My personal feeling is I like more another type of sport which allows you more choices and tactics."
And as he has previously said, he prefers a slower version of the game.
"I would like to see more opportunities, more varied styles of play,” he continued. “Today because of the way it is played, the courts, the balls, most people play similarly, because of the speed and the conditions.”
Nadal is No. 2 in the rankings.