Rafael Nadal Will Still Be 2014 French Open Favorite Despite Recent Struggles

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: April 25, 2014

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It's not quite time for Rafael Nadal to hit the panic button, nor does he deserve severe criticism following two recent losses on his preferred clay surface. Nadal will still be the prohibitive favorite at the 2014 French Open, and the recent slip-ups are not an indication of what's to come.

A defeat at the hands of Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro on Friday in the Barcelona Open quarterfinals was admittedly a surprise. BBC Sport highlighted just how strong Nadal's winning streak was at the ATP's 500 series event:



This suggests an apocalyptic scenario for some of Nadal's detractors, but at some point the superstar was bound to concede some ground in Barcelona after such a sensational track record. Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times noted Nadal's prowess before losses to Almagro and David Ferrer in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters:



Nadal explained after his match versus Almagro that he simply missed opportunities and just wasn't quite as sharp as usual, per BBC Sport:

I had a lot of chances in the second set when I had the match more controlled but I didn't take them. As the match went on I was less calm but I still had openings in the third set at 3-1 and at 4-4 which I didn't take. This is tennis and you just have to keep going.

That was the case when Nadal faced Ferrer just over a week ago. Ferrer is a crafty opponent whose fitness can frustrate even the best players in the world and bring on a bevy of unforced errors. The issues that plagued Nadal there couldn't be completely eradicated in time for his home tournament.

Neil Harman of The Times expressed doubts about Nadal's competitive edge, especially against a player in Almagro who isn't often composed under pressure:



But let's not get confused. There's no question that Nadal will still be the man to beat at Roland Garros in the season's second Grand Slam event. He has won the French Ope...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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