MADRID: A winning streak of 12 matches has failed to ease Rafael Nadal’s apprehensions about his bid to win this year’s Madrid Open.
The world No.1 enters the tournament as the leader of the pack. Fresh off of winning back-to-back titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, the Spaniard hasn’t dropped a set on the clay since last May. The figures suggest that Nadal’s victory at the Caja Magica this week is a certainty, but he himself is taking nothing for granted.
“In Barcelona I played very well in totally different conditions. Here it’s completely different.” Nadal said on Monday. “In Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, you have the feeling that you are in control of the situation. Here, it’s different. It’s difficult to have the same feelings as in Barcelona and Monte-Carlo, especially the first days.
“It takes you time to adapt to how the ball bounces and flies. It’s not under control like the other two tournaments. Everything is a little bit more difficult.”
Madrid is located 450 meters above sea level. The high altitude means that the ball travels quicker during matches. Favoring the more aggressive and hard-hitting players. Nevertheless, Nadal has claimed the title five times since 2009.
“I have been training on the outer courts. The feeling is that the ball flies faster than other courts. I have a feeling these courts are faster.” He commented about his preparations for Madrid.
The 31-year-old has established himself as the king of clay in recent years. To date he is the most successful ATP player on the surface in the Open Era with a total of 55 titles to his name. At the French Open he is the first and only male player to win the same grand slam 10 or more times.
It could be argued that part of Nadal’s success is his ability to stay grounded. He could be forgiven to believe that he is invincible on the clay this season given his record. Although previous experience of injury and rivalry with other members of the ‘big four’ reminds him that nothing is guaranteed.
“I don’t think that I am superior to the other players. Maybe some tournaments have been better than others, but that doesn’t guarantee that in the future I’m going to be better than my opponents.”
Nadal will get his campaign under way in the second round against either Gael Monfils or Nikoloz Basilashvili. Both of whom he leads in their head-to-head. Against Monfils, Nadal is cautious over the threat the Frenchman poses despite winning 17 out of 29 matches against him.
“Gael is a tough opponent for everybody. He’s a player with a lot of talent, with a lot of potential. He’s a tough opponent.” He commented on Monfils. “Let’s see what’s going on in the first round between him and Basilashvili. Both will be a tough one. Gael always is a challenge.”
Since the birth of the tournament in 2002, Nadal is one of only two Spanish players to have won the trophy. The other was Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2003.
