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Rafael Nadal will return to No. 1 on ATP World Tour on August 21

By Maxwell Ogden

MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after scoring a point against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during day seven of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank at Uniprix Stadium on August 10, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after scoring a point against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during day seven of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank at Uniprix Stadium on August 10, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Although the Rogers Cup didn’t go as planned, Rafael Nadal will return to No. 1 on the ATP World Tour on August 21. Find out why.

Entering the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Canada, no player had a brighter spotlight on them than Rafael Nadal. With Andy Murray sidelined by an injury, Nadal had a chance to return to his perch as the No. 1 player in the world.

Nadal was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, but the tennis gods offered a measure of forgiveness in the days that followed his early exit.

Due in large part to a string of injuries, Nadal hasn’t been ranked No. 1 in the world since June of 2014. He’s maintained his superstar profile, but continued absences have limited his ability to reclaim his status as the best in the world.

After more than three years of tireless work and anticipation, Nadal will finally reclaim the position of No. 1 on the ATP World Tour.

For all that Nadal has been through from a medical perspective, this is nothing short of a feel-good story.

Nadal’s return to No. 1 is due to a combination of his personal success and the injuries sustained by Roger Federer and Andy Murray. As they face the same fate as Nadal encountered in previous years, the Spanish legend is playing as well as, if not better than, anyone in the world.

The 31-year-old is 41-8 with four titles in 2017, including his record 10th championships at Roland Garros, Monte Carlo, and Barcelona, and his fifth in Madrid.

Nadal also reached the finals at the Australian Open, Miami Open, and the ATP World Tour 500 series tournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

With his return to No. 1 in the world, Nadal will face dominating expectations at the 2017 US Open. He’s won the event twice before, and reached a third final, but hasn’t reached the quarterfinal since he won it all in 2013.

Injuries have played a significant role in that truth, and a healthier Nadal will look to end the drought and win his second Grand Slam of 2017 to further solidify his grip on the soon to be claimed No. 1 spot.

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After years of trials and tribulations, Rafael Nadal has finally reemerged as the No. 1 player on the ATP World Tour.

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