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Rafael Nadal could return to No. 1 on ATP World Tour on August 14

By Maxwell Ogden

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates during the Gentlemen's Singles fourth round match against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg on day seven of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates during the Gentlemen's Singles fourth round match against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg on day seven of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
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With Andy Murray withdrawing from the Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal, Rafael Nadal will have an opportunity to return to No. 1 on the ATP World Tour.

Rafael Nadal has been through the proverbial ringer. Since 2012, Nadal has been fighting to overcome injuries that have kept him out of four Grand Slam events, and greatly limited his range of motion on the court.

As he nears a return to dominant form during the 2017 calendar year, however, Nadal is closing in on a reclamation of the status that’s eluded him since 2017.

Nadal was granted an incredible opportunity when Andy Murray withdrew from Coupe Rogers in Montreal. With Murray out, Nadal could return to his perch atop the ATP World Tour by making a run that’s certainly within the realm of his capabilities.

If Nadal manages to reach the semifinal in Montreal, he’ll return to No. 1 on the ATP World Tour for the first time since June of 2014.

Reaching the semifinal will be easier said than done, but Nadal has a solid track record at the event. He’s won The Canadian Open on three separate occasions: 2005 over Andre Agassi, 2008 over Nicolas Kiefer, and 2013 over Milos Raonic.

With Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Stan Wawrinka all sidelined, the path is as clear as ever before for Nadal to reach yet another semifinal and thus reclaim the world No. 1 ranking.

Nadal has been dominant in 2017, amassing a record of 46-7 overall and 16-2 in Grand Slams. He won the French Open for a record 10th time, reached the final at the Australian Open, and won ATP titles at Barcelona, Madrid, and Monte Carlo.

It’s too soon to claim that Nadal has returned to peak form, but with the 2017 US Open mere weeks away, he has a chance to achieve powerful momentum in Montreal.

That alone would be reason to peg Nadal as one of the heavy favorites to win at Flushing Meadows, where he’s already claimed two titles.

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The return of Rafael Nadal would be made official with a semifinal appearance at Coupe Rogers in Montreal.

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