Rafa Aiming for the Full Set
World number one, Rafael Nadal, says he is aiming for the full set of Grand Slam titles when he takes part in the United States Open at the end of this summer.
The US Open is the only Grand Slam title that Nadal has not yet won during his relatively short career and victory in America would allow him to take his place alongside the greatest players to have ever picked up a racket.
The Spaniard is in very good form having just lifted his second Wimbledon title and confidence is everything for top level tennis players. However, a few players had very disappointing Wimbledon and they will be looking to use the US Open as a way to bounce back.
It's important to consider the pros and cons of Nadal's current game in order to establish whether he has a good chance of winning in America. There are a few familiar problems, which could surface and mean he has to put off this event for another season.
Pros
Nadal is right in form and he is clearly the best player in the world at this moment in time. This means his game is as good as it is going to get and he will never have a better chance to win the French, Wimbledon and US Grand Slam titles back to back.
He is looking fitter than he has ever been and this will help on the American courts. He will be tested in much more humid conditions than he experienced at Wimbledon and this is where his fitness will prevail over weaker opponents.
Nadal is confident and confidence is everything to tennis players. He has a belief within himself that he can beat anyone in the world at the moment and he seems to be right. It will take a very special performance from someone in the USA to stop him.
Cons
There are a few cons, which should not be ignored that could stop Nadal from lifting the US title. A few players performed way below par at Wimbledon and they will want to bounce back emphatically. This will mean that every player Nadal plays will raise his game to try and match the same performance levels.
The US Open is played on hard courts and this will test out the condition that Nadal's knees are in. He has been lucky to play on kind surfaces in terms of the clay in France and the grass at Wimbledon. The American hard courts will mean extra stress going through the knees and this could cause a problem or two.
Pressure can make even the most experienced of players crumble and Nadal is no different. He will feel as though he has the weight of the world on his shoulders to get his US Open title duck off of his back. This could produce the same sort of inconsistent performances that have marked the career of Andy Murray.
Advice
Many will consider the cons of Nadal at the US Open as more of a case of picking at straws in terms of trying to find an excuse as to why he will not win the event. There is no one in better form and therefore if you want to back him then go for it.
He is likely to be more tested in America because more players will try to up their game to compete with him. This may mean that he loses a few more sets so be wary of going head first into bets like straight sets victories.
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