Dubai: Everything is not well with Rafael Nadal. It’s been a rather strange season so far for the king of clay. And when Stanislas Wawrinka handed the former world number one his fifth loss of 2015 at the Italian Open quarter-final last Friday, Nadal’s frailties seemed to have been further highlighted.
Such stuttering display of form is definitely not to Nadal’s liking. Or for that matter, to the book-makers who very much doubt the recent ability of the Spaniard in attempting a record tenth title at Roland Garros when the final is played on June 7.
But these aspects hardly seem to be of much significance at this stage of his career. Starting 2005, Nadal already has nine titles at the French Open along with two each at the US Open and Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open. The Spaniard’s dominance has been unequalled in the past ten years. The only time he was denied was in an exciting 2009 final when Sweden’s Robin Soderling went on to out-swat him.
There are more important things to consider at this stage of Nadal’s career, and one of them – though quite bizarre – is having a healthy Nadal on a tennis court. The concern, here of course could be that the Spaniard may not end up dominating his competition, like in the past. But he is a fighter, no doubt. And having him healthy and out-gunning at least some of his opponents is far more important for tennis and the sporting world.
In a recent interview, his arch foe and another former world number one, Roger Federer wisely sent out a word of caution fellow competitors that they could write off Nadal at their own peril. Federer, who himself is one of the favourites for the French Open, in fact doesn’t see world number one Novak Djokovic as the top player to watch. For the Swiss ace it could be Nadal all the way or at least to the June 7 final.
However, considering form and faith, the path to the crown could get a bit tricky this year.
Nadal’s odds are not very far off from Djokovic’s. If Nadal fails to garner a top seeding - and that appears likely given his recent form and his latest No.7 ranking - the 28-year-old Spaniard could more certainly be primed for an early exit. But if he can get past that tricky first week at Roland Garros, then the following week could see a rather dangerous Nadal of old – one who goes after every ball to come off with some amazing winners that has long been the bane of none other than Federer himself.
But for this to happen, Nadal will have to have the security and comfort of a top-four ranking in Paris, failing which he will be exposed to the possibility of facing any of the other favourites including Murray, Djokovic or Federer as early as in the quarter-finals.
And, given the level of competition in men’s tennis these days, even worse could be the likelihood of an early run-in with a player like Gael Monfils or Stan Warinka, with the outcome decided by the player making more unforced errors.
On current form, that could well condemn him to an early exit, although it is also likely it will bring out the best in him. The consequent result could be that the second week of the French Open could be one of the tournament’s most exciting. And we should very well hope for this scenario rather than the earlier one.
If Nadal does manage to push his form a notch higher then it could land him an opportunity of yet another final that could possibly line him up against an in-form Djokovic rather than Federer or Andy Murray.
Djokovic is the No.1 player in the world. The Serbian has been enjoying an invincible year that has been akin to what he achieved in 2011. He has been on a 22-match winning streak after capturing his fourth title of 2015 with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Federer at the Italian Open.
So while a ninth Grand Slam singles title – and a maiden crown on the rust-coloured clay of Paris - is really not all that out of grasp for Djokovic, the Serb will have to better Nadal’s grit as a physical and mental fighter.
And if he does that, then one can expect one of the most exciting finales at Roland Garros with the likelihood that both men create their own bit of history: one winning for a record tenth time or the other for the first-time ever. Yet, as much as everyone admires Nadal for his fighting spirit and respects his extraordinary history on clay, he bears the haunted look of a worried man who must pretend otherwise.
And this is where tennis could well do with such a high-voltage clash once again.
-Ends
