Rafael Nadal achieved something amazing. Only he knows what he suffered in recent months due to injuries and the covid that did not allow him to train and prepare for the new season. So black did he see everything that he even considered retreating. It was the way to finally stop suffering and crushing his body. But there was something that told him that he should wait a little longer, that maybe things would work out. So it was. Little by little he improved, he felt competitive training and the litmus test came, the Australian Open. And won.
What does this mean for Nadal? Apart from the 2.8 million euros of the prize and becoming the tennis player with the most Grand Slams in history with 21 and recognition from all over the world, this new crown opens up a world for him and perspectives that I would never have imagined.
After competing throughout the tournament at a high level and winning an epic final by coming back from two sets against the world number two, Daniil Medvedev, Nadal has understood that he is still competitive. His sensations were good, he left everything on the court, the ball ran again, his legs responded and his privileged head continues without cracks in the most complicated moments of a game.
Going from possible retirement to winning a Grand Slam in such a short amount of time is a mind-shattering phenomenon. Rafa has already said on more than one occasion that she cannot reduce the schedule any further if she wants to continue feeling like a tennis player. But Could you expand it and with it, further enlarge an enviable list of winners?
Rest and meditate calendar
At the moment, what Rafa wants is to savor everything that has happened these two weeks in Melbourne and celebrate it with family and friends who could not travel to Australia due to the restrictions due to the coronavirus.
But in the interview granted to the newspaper AS, Nadal explained how important it is to spend hours on the court: “When you haven’t competed for many months, all those things that sometimes happen more naturally and quickly, then they don’t come like that. I needed to spend hours on the track and compete to have the ability to quickly analyze and make the right decisions & rdquor ;, he assures in the analysis of what happened in the final.
Thus, after a few days of rest, Rafa will play the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells (from March 14 to 20) and will probably be in the ATP 500 in Acapulco (from February 21 to 26). He will assess in due course if he also plays the Masters 1000 in Miami from March 28 to April 10) what is guaranteed is the clay season (Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome await him) where he will undoubtedly seek his 14th title in Roland Garros. Nadal must take care of himself and not abuse the calendar, but feeling like a Grand Slam champion again could be a starting point to consider more tournaments this season.
Doesn’t care about ranking
But if Nadal plays more tournaments it will be to feel like a tennis player, he is not worried about the ranking, at this point that has become secondary. At the moment Rafa will continue to be the fifth racket in the world although it is true that it cuts big differences with respect to its predecessors Well, only 295 points separate him from Stefanos Tsitsipas, fourth, and 905 from Alexander Zverev, third. Although logically these young players have a calendar full of tournaments where they can join before playing Indian Wells, where the Majorcan tennis player could play his next tournament if he does not decide to play in Acapulco first.
Although it is true that it is something that is not pending, it is also true that being as high as possible on the ATP list means, on paper, more benevolent cadres in major competitions. Hence, it is always interesting to be number 1 or 2 in the ranking.
He was ‘hung’ in Melbourne
Rafa Nadal and his entire team stayed one day longer than planned in Australia since the flight they had planned to return to Spain and then move to their native Mallorca was canceled by the company. All travelers were transferred to a hotel and in theory today they will fly back home. A small setback for the Majorcan tennis player who is looking forward to returning home to celebrate the title of champion of the Australian Open with friends and family who were unable to travel to Melbourne due to restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic or for personal reasons. The celebrations will therefore have to wait at least 24 more hours.