Casper Ruud recounts feeling 'so nervous' during idol Rafael Nadal's Slam finals

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• Rafael Nadal

Casper Ruud says watching tennis is "much tougher than playing" as he still perfectly remembers being stressed out during some of Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam finals. Ruud, 24, grew up watching and idolizing Nadal. Now that Ruud is a pro tennis player and one of the best in the game, he can understand how his fans might feel during his tense matches.

"I can feel like watching is much tougher than playing yourself because watching you have sort of no control at all. While if you play you have some sort of control of what choices you do and what kind of shots you hit. A little bit more in your hands.

In my childhood watching some of the Grand Slam finals and my childhood sort of idol was Rafa and I always cheered for him in the final. I was really nervous at times when it was like in the fifth set maybe, I can still remember how nervous I was and hoping he would win but playing yourself is a little more calm actually," Ruud said on Tennis Channel.

Ruud was 'devastated' after Nadal lost the 2012 Australian Open final

In the 2012 Australian Open final - which lasted five hours and 53 minutes - Novak Djokovic edged out Nadal in five thriller sets. Ruud, who was 13 at the time, spent six hours in front of his TV only to end up feeling heavily sad afterward.

“I was probably even sadder than himself because that was watching six hours of TV and hoping Rafa would win and then it was probably one of the best matches ever. I think for days, I was still sad about the loss for him and I still wish today that he could have won," Ruud said last year.

When Nadal was asked about Ruud's revelation, he had a pretty hilarious revelation. “You have to call Novak, to see if he wants to return the trophy," Nadal responded to Ruud at the time.