Rafael Nadal’s Mental Toughness Makes Him Wimbeldon Favorite

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 30, 2010

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I felt this at the beginning of the tournament, and I'll say it now: The Wimbledon champion will be either Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer.

Well, Federer exited the tournament at an unusually early stage for him. He did mention at the press conference afterwards that he had some niggling injuries that didn't help his playing. But, congratulations to Berdych for playing a terrific match. He stood with Federer toe-to-toe, not letting Federer do much dictating at all. That is the type of player Federer will have the most trouble against: the player who can stay with him and take it to him, constantly.

Now that Roger is gone, we have the remaining heavy favorite to win the final: Rafael Nadal. His play has been improving with time this week. He wasn't going to beat Robin Sodering in straight sets—Soderling is too tough to take it lying down—and though he wilted in the end, he put in a strong showing in the first three sets of the match. It could have gone either way during the third set.

As it stands now, with the semifinal lineup, Nadal has at least six more majors than anyone in the draw (Novak Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open). But what can't be measured quantitatively is his mental toughness. He is the toughest competitor in sport; nerves are very rarely the reason he ever loses a match. And he's up against three others, that, I hate to say it, are nowhere near him (or Federer) in this regard—especially in the later stages of a Slam event.

As a result, I would bet on Nadal winning the semis and the final. It's not that Andy Murray doesn't have a chance. He does. However I just doubt that mentally he has the goods to deliver on Friday, in the biggest occasions of the biggest tournaments, against the biggest players when they are healthy.

He may take a set. But I don't see him going further than that. Plus, the last two times he has beaten Nadal in a Grand Slam (this year's Australian Ope...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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