Rafael Nadal: "Tennis owed a Grand Slam title to Andy Murray" – Tennis News
Former world number one, Rafael Nadal, considers the victory of the third ranked Briton, Andy Murray, at the US Open in New York as the deserving triumph. He believes that the 25-year-old Briton has worked extremely hard to pull
off a miraculous performance at the year’s fourth Grand Slam Championships.
While conducting a press conference, Nadal stated, “I really thought Andy would win the US Open because tennis owed him something. That was my feeling. The Olympics was a big change and with the calm of winning that gold medal
at home, you go to a Grand Slam final and you feel that Andy, before the match, believed he was the favourite. If you really believe in yourself, it doesn't matter if you were leading by two sets to love and the opponent comes back.”
It was a gradual improvement process that was witnessed in the game style of the number one Briton. He started to threaten the top seeds at the Wimbledon Championships; reached the final of the tournament at the home soil but couldn’t
realize the dream of winning a maiden Grand Slam title. The Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, stood in his way and the trophy at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Murray kept his head up; returned to the grass courts of London for the Olympics conquest and triumphed over the 17-time Grand Slam Champion, Federer, in his second encounter at the same place in just over a couple of months. He
won the gold medal at a four-yearly event and carried the momentum at the US Open in New York to clinch the first Grand Slam title; plonking the Defending Champion, Novak Djokovic.
On the other hand, Nadal stayed at the sidelines since the second round exit at the Wimbledon. He hurt his knee and didn’t feel like playing through injury. He was chosen to be the flag bearer for his country at the London Olympics
but had to forgo such a memorable opportunity due to injury. He missed the US Open and ATP World Tour Finals in the rehabilitation process. However, he is scheduled to be back in action at the Mubadala Tennis Championships that begins on the 27th
December, 2012.
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