Higher motivation required for Rafael Nadal – Tennis News
After a month’s absence from the court, Rafael ‘Rafa’ Nadal, ranked world No.2 is ready to stake his claim at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title. Since the season started, the Spaniard has been swimming in a pool of disappointment.
Winning just one major title this year, French Open 2011, and losing his precious top spot to the current world No.1, Novak Djokovic, Nadal did see himself a bit low. However, the 25-year-old is eager to play his first match of
the Finals as he opens up the tournament against American counterpart Mardy Fish.
“We only have to wait one day and a half, we will see,” said Nadal with a laugh during the round-table interviews Friday at The O2. “Always when you are outside competition, in the beginning it’s a little bit more difficult because
the routines of the competition are there. But the important thing is to play well, feel ready with my level of tennis. If that happens, probably everything will be less difficult.”
Rafa admitted that his straight-sets loss against German Florian Mayer last month in the third round of Shanghai Rolex Masters did put him down and low, however, this made the Spaniard asses his short comings in the game as he
faces the top shots in London.
Fighting up six final round matches against Djokovic this year and losing all of them would certainly affect the Spaniard whenever he comes forth again against the Serbian world No.1. however, before that, he need to take care
of the former world No.1, the Swiss Maestro, who has been in spectacular form lately, bagging two year end event, Basel and Paris Open.
Playing his first match against Fish might be difficult as well as the American knocked down the Spaniard in their last meeting at Cincinnati. Although the King of Clay, Nadal can neither be underestimated on hard courts. However,
the Spaniard failed to defend his championship at Tokyo as well after being beaten down by the Brit world No.3, Andy Murray.
Nevertheless, Nadal needs to focus more on his technique. Most of the top players are now aware of the weakness of the former world No.1. Above all, Nadal needs to bounce back to his original form. If not then we might see the
world No.2 out of the event sooner than thought. Anyhow, Barclays Finals starts this Sunday, with Nadal and Roger Federer going against Mardy Fish and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tags: