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Rafael Nadal: Fans Need to Temper Expectations After Win at Brazil Open
Published: February 18, 2013
So, he's going to get back to regularly winning Grand Slam singles titles, right?
Well, not exactly.
It's been a long road for the 11-time Grand Slam singles champion, who had to withdraw from the 2012 London Olympics due to tendinitis in his knee. He returned to the court last week in Chile, but was shocked in the final by world No. 43 Horacio Zeballos.
Fortunately for the Spaniard, his knee was feeling good on Sunday. The same couldn't be said after the semifinals against Martin Alund.
Nadal said after the encouraging win, via ESPN: "When the knee is feeling better like today I feel like that I can do more of the things that I used to do my entire life. If the pain is bearable like it was today, then it's fine."
Note the word "bearable." What everybody needs to understand is that we may never see vintage Nadal again. He may only be 26 years old, but he may as well be in his early 30s given the aggressive, physical style of tennis he's made his trademark throughout the years.
Beating David Nalbandian is one thing, but right now it's hard to see Nadal competing with some of the top players in the world such as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. What makes the effects of his injury so pronounced is the fact that he doesn't have an effortless, serve-based game like Federer does. He's always had to work for his points, which takes a toll on the body.
For example, in 2011—Nadal's last full season—he registered 267 aces in 78 matches (ranked 36th on the ATP Tour, via ATPWorldTour.com). Federer posted 504 aces in 73 matches (ranked 10th). It's part of the reason why the Swiss great continues to perform at a high level and never seems to give in to Father Time, while Nadal is struggling at a relatively young a...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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