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Rafael Nadal Faces Rocky Road to 8th French Open Title
Published: May 24, 2013
Nadal, the winner of the last three championships at Roland Garros, defeated Novak Djokovic in the final a year ago. A finals rematch, however, won’t be in the works in 2013.
Instead, if Nadal and Djokovic manage to win their matches through the quarterfinals, they’ll meet in a blockbuster semifinal.
The potential semifinal matchup is due to the seeding of Nadal and the withdrawal of Andy Murray from the tournament. Murray, the No. 2 player in the world behind Djokovic, is out of the French Open with a back injury, according to the Associated Press via USA Today.
Nadal, who’s ranked No. 4, earned the No. 3 seed in the French Open, and Roger Federer moved up to No. 2. This means that Nadal and Federer could face off in the final, but Nadal is going to have to get through the top player in the world first.
Nadal, though knowing he might have a big test ahead, is just glad to be able to participate.
“I am very happy that I am back and I am healthy to play here another time,” Nadal told the Associated Press, via USA Today. Nadal recently returned from a seven-month absence after a knee injury prevented him from taking the court.
Before Nadal can even think about facing Djokovic again, he first has to get there. His first-round matchup is against Daniel Brands of Germany, who will be appearing in his fifth French Open. Brands has never made it past the first round, though, and Nadal should defeat him with ease.
The first true test for Nadal could come in the quarterfinals if he were to be matched up against Richard Gasquet, the No. 7 seed at Roland Garros. Gasquet has never made it past the fourth round in nine French Opens over the course of his career. Nadal is undefeated in nine matches against Gasquet in their history.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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