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Rafael Nadal’s Back Woes Are Cause for Concern as 2014 French Open Progresses
Published: June 2, 2014
Every athlete, no matter how dominant—even a King—has a point where the decline is unavoidable.
For someone hailed as the King of Clay, Nadal has looked a shell of his former self as of late, sans a few opening rounds in Paris.
This past weekend, Nadal breezed past Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, but the factor that should raise some eyebrows is his admission that a back injury has hurt his productivity, as captured by ESPN:
"During my career, I had (a) few problems. ... Hopefully will not be (the) case" the rest of the way in Paris, Nadal said.
"I served more slowly since I started feeling the pain," he said, noting that he's worn tape on his back for extra support.
Now pair this with some noticeable performance drops, as recorded by The Associated Press, via USA Today:
Against Mayer, Nadal averaged only 102 mph (165 kph) on first serves, with a top speed of 114 mph (184 kph). That was down from an average of 111 mph (179 kph) and top of 122 mph (197 kph) in the first round against Robby Ginepri last Monday.
Through six sets across his first two matches, Nadal faced only five break points and lost serve only twice. He needed to deal with eight break points against Mayer, losing two.
For the uninitiated, Nadal is every bit the sport's most dominant participant in Paris, as ESPN Stats & Info helps to detail:
So while yet another strong showing is both fully expected and impressive, Nadal's flirtation with injury is quite the slippery slope for the aging star.
Think back to Australia in January, when he was upended in the final against Stanislas Wawrinka. A hint of back issues was certainly part of the narrative for a shocking loss at a venue most are accustomed to seeing him dominate.
Look at the Monte Carlo Masters in April, where D...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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