Rafael Nadal anticipates a drop in his rankings next season – Tennis News
Spanish number one, Rafael Nadal, hasn’t played professional tennis since his second round loss at the Wimbledon Championships earlier this summer. The 11-time Grand Slam winner has eventually announced his comeback to the professional
circuit next season but his thoughts are clouded with the possibility of falling from his current ATP World Tour Rankings. Although he has cited that any possible slump in his world ranking will not have any effect on his ambitions, it will not be a god thing
for the Spanish tennis fans to bear.
"I would like to return in January," Nadal told local radio. "I don't expect to return and win the Australian Open, I have to be realistic. The results will not worry me in the first tournaments back. I have to take into account
my form after so long out. It wouldn't bother me if I slipped down to 15th in the world as long as inside I knew was able to continue. I want to be 100 per cent in time for Monte Carlo and the run-up to Roland Garros."
Currently holding the fourth position in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Nadal has already slipped down one place since he has been sidelined from professional tennis. The closest rival to snatch his fourth spot
is his fellow compatriot, David Ferrer, who is merely 290 points behind the King of Clay. A title victory at the start of the new season will certainly put Ferrer ahead of Nadal.
26-year-old Nadal was pretty clear with his strategy in the upcoming circuit i.e. no worries of rankings, just focus on avoiding injury once again. Nadal’s sheer resilience on tennis courts has been the key factor in his success
for years. If he go for a more conservative and defensive approach on his return, he might suffer some real challenges from his rivals. However, to remain physically fit for the next couple of month should be his prime focus at all costs. He will get settled
in the sport eventually but Nadal himself doesn’t believe he can win the Grand Slam Down Under next month. The Spaniard is more concerned to defend his titles at Monte Carlo Masters and the coveted French Open in the clay-court swing of the 2013 ATP season.
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