Rafael Nadal: Clay Court Success Doesn’t Mean Rafa Will Recapture No. 1 Ranking

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 22, 2012

commentComment        

Novak Djokovic may have lost to Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-3 in the finals at the Rome Masters on Monday, but he will still be the No. 1 seed entering Rolland Garros.

Why?

Because he is the owner of the last three Grand Slams dating back to Wimbledon, and all of the wins have come against Nadal.

The Djoker has been very calm and collected, while Rafa has turned into a hothead of sorts on the court. That all changed on Monday, when Nadal used his patented spin on returns to really get under Djokovic’s skin. After one error, he drilled his racket against the net post and received a warning for his actions.

Since the passing of his grandfather, he has seemed mentally weak at times on the court, and it has led to 41 unforced errors.

When speaking with reporters after the match, he sounded like he was ready to regain his focus entering the second Grand Slam of the season (via ESPN):

I am going and preparing for a Grand Slam as I prepare for any other big event, with more focus. It's two weeks long and the most important tournament, and we always want to deliver out best game. I feel good on the court, and I need to make a few adjustments before Paris, but I'll be in top form.

With the second Grand Slam of the year on the horizon, I expect that to change quickly. I’m picking Djokovic to take home the title at Rolland Garros and retain his title as the best player in the world.



Nobody has a better combination of speed and power, and nobody has the stamina right now in the sport. With Rafa’s history of injuries in the past, will his body be able to hold up after playing multiple tournaments in a row?

Nadal has recaptured the No. 2 world ranking from Roger Federer, and there is no doubt he is more than deserving of the accolade, but right now Djokovic still has his number in Grand Slams of late.

Winning lesser events on clay is one thin...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!