by James Buddell, Eurosport
May 22, 2024
Rafael Nadal's decision to pull out of the Hamburg Masters this week, due to a blister on his racket hand, is a wise move for a player tipped to win Roland Garros. After three consecutive tournament victories, Nadal is preventing any chance of burnout for his debut in Paris, writes James Buddell.
He has learnt the lessons of missing out on competing at the French Open the last couple of years due to injury and youthful high jinks.
Last season he sustained a fracture to his left ankle and was sidelined in 2003 with an elbow injury during practice at Roland Garros just days before the major championship started.
CLAY COURT KING
This time around, with two weeks before the Paris slam, Nadal has time to recuperate his tired limbs and reflect on his amazing run of results.
Since losing to Roger Federer in the Miami Masters final on April 3, the Spaniard has played four tournaments.
He has triumphed in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Valencia, and wracked up 19 wins out of 20 matches on clay.
With each tournament victory, commentators and former players have questioned when Nadal will burn out.
But the player has proved he has the strength to go the distance.
In Monte Carlo and Rome, the theory was that should the finals go longer than three sets he would run out of steam.
He has blown that argument out of the water.
His three-hour victory over Spanish compatriot David Ferrer came a day before his five-hour win over Guillermo Coria in the Rome Masters final.
A PHYSICAL PRESENCE
Nadal has proved that his brand of top-spun shots from the baseline and superb footwork is allied to the sort of strength not seen since from such a young player since the emergence of Boris Becker.
Nadal plays with a similar fearless intensity as Becker.
Something that is helped by being only 18.
When Becker won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 1985, he described his change of lifestyle as "night and day".
In recent weeks, Nadal has shown the right attitude to deal with the adulation of a Spanish nation who normally feeds on the exploits of Barcelona and Real Madrid football clubs.
Now the player can rest at home and watch how other players such as defending French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, last year's beaten finalist Coria and world number one Federer react.
With five clay-court titles this season, Nadal has laid down a marker to suitors to the French Open crown.
Not only has he enjoyed a ranking hike of 46 places to world No 5 he has also proved that he can no longer be overawed in the big matches.
Thomas Muster was the last player to win Monte Carlo and Rome Masters title and go on to win in Paris.
Nadal has given himself the best opportunity to emulate that feat.
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