AP
April 5, 2024
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to losing a point to Roger Federer of Switzerland during the men's singles final at the Nasdaq-100 Open tennis tournament, in Key Biscayne, Florida, on Sunday.
As he sat in his changeover chair, waiting to be summoned to the center of the stadium court to accept his runner-up trophy, El Nino went one more time to his socks.
This had to be at least the 457th time in Sunday's five-set extravaganza that Rafael Nadal had adjusted the top of his socks against his thick calves.
It's habit, that's all. Not a superstition. "A tic," said an Argentine reporter. "It's not uncommon for anyone who plays soccer."
Andalusian matchup
The next time Nadal adjusts his socks in public, on Wednesday, his fingers will be red from the clay courts in Valencia, where this extraordinary 18-year-old Spaniard goes to play former French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero in the first round.
"Good draw, eh?" he laughed with reporters.
There will be little time to savor what he accomplished at the Nasdaq-100 Open, which was considerable, nor much time to recover from failing to hold a two-set lead over Roger Federer, the best player in the world.
But when you're a teenager, comfortable enough in your own skin on court to wear gondolier pants, or capris, or pedal pushers - whatever you want to call that garment - and a DayGlo orange muscle shirt, you'd expect him to bounce back quickly.
Nadal didn't look nearly as aggrieved at blowing this opportunity to upset the No. 1 player in the world as you might have expected. "I am happy for my tennis. I am improving," he said, after his 2-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-1, loss.
He complained a bit about a controversial line call that went against him at 4-1 in the third set, when he seemed on his way to victory, but he didn't push it on court with chair umpire Steve Ullrich, nor did he linger on it with reporters.
"The forehand of Federer is out. The referee said good," he said with a small shrug.
Of course Nadal is big news on the sports pages in Spain, and he will become big news in the United States as well because, like a lot of other Spanish players, he's committed to a high level of performance not just on his native clay, but on hardcourts as well.
You can't break into the top 10 on clay results alone and this runner-up finish will put Nadal's ranking at about No. 17. Moreover, he's going to rocket up into or near the top 10 by the first day of the French Open, May 23, because he played only one lead-up event last year before badly spraining his ankle.
He has only quarterfinal points from Estoril to defend.
Deceptive spin
There are so many things that impress you about Nadal. He has explosive wrist action on his forehand topspin that produces a very high bounce. "He doesn't play it very long, but short so it bounces high," said Federer.
"Until you realize you can attack the ball, it's too late and it gets up high on you. From then on, it's a very risky shot to go for something."
He can also hit big and flat. And he has a drop shot with a delicacy factor equal to Guillermo Coria's. And there is his amazing speed and his ability to hit full out, off either side, while running or stretching for a ball.
Up 3-1 in the opening set, he tracked down a Federer shot to the corner and hit a forehand passing shot up the line that seemed to leave Federer shocked. He tracked down Federer overheads and his retrieving sometimes influenced Federer to lose his patience and go for too much.
Yet his serve can get a lot better. He slapped four aces in these five sets, all of them up the T, but he's physically strong enough to jack up his miles per hour and, when he does, he's going to be an even more complete player.
That serve is really the only thing lacking in his game. That and perhaps socks with a bit more elastic.
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