World number one, Rafael Nadal, says he is ready to face and beat anyone in his quest to secure a second Wimbledon title.
The Spaniard did not play in the event last year due to an injury and this stopped him from having the chance to defend the title that he won in 2008. However, many have said in recent weeks that Nadal and Andy Murray look like the two fittest players in tennis at the moment.
Nadal has also said that the emotional pain of not being able to play at Wimbledon forced him to create a determination within himself to win the title again. It can never be positive to watch other players play for the title you hold and be able to do nothing about it as was his case last year.
There are many strings to the Nadal bow and there are many reasons who he could emerge as the possible winner of Wimbledon this time round. The Spaniard has a major weakness with his serve but his fitness and pace around the court more than make up for this.
Condition
Nadal looked very fit when he cam out at the Queens event, which is annually used as a warm up for Wimbledon. Although he got knocked out of that event quite early on, it was clear that once he got into full flow on grass he would become a major force to contend with.
His game on both sides looks to be very sharp. He has added a little more whip to his forehand, which was only display during his French Open win and this will be important in trying to get the ball past players who come into the net on more consistent occasions.
His backhand remains one of the best parts of his game and his ability to change up the pace with no change in his action will be too good for the majority of the opponents he plays. He can use this to bring players into the net or drag them into a shorter game, which is more likely to force a result.
Dangers
There are a couple of very small dangers that you have to consider before you jump in and back Nadal. Firstly, you have to consider his serve. He sacrifices an awful lot on his second serve if his first ends up out. This allows other players to get around the ball and return with their strongest shot, which often causes Nadal to lose points during service games.
It will also be important to keep an eye on his knees as he adapts to playing on grass. The clay of France allows players to slide into their shots and reach balls that they may not be expected to get to.
You cannot do this on grass and because there is such a short time between the French Open and Wimbledon, there may be a few cases of players tweaking a knee as they try to slide and reach a ball.
Betting Advice
If you feel confident in Nadal’s physical condition, form and ability to handle pressure then there is no reason why you shouldn’t bet on him to win. Take advantage of some of the specials, which will be offered such as Nadal making it into the final without dropping a set.
You can also bet confidently on options such as straight set wins during his early round games. The first and second round opponents never have enough to force victory in a few games, never mind trying to actually win a set against someone of Nadal’s quality.
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