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2018 US Open Top Picks: Rafael Nadal

By Keshav Gopalan

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during the final match on Day 7 of the Rogers Cup at Aviva Centre on August 12, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during the final match on Day 7 of the Rogers Cup at Aviva Centre on August 12, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Rafael Nadal enters the US Open as one of the favourites to win the title. With a splendid season in all surfaces, Nadal is looking formidable and extremely dangerous. He’s tweaked his game to allow for aggressive play and it’s worked very well. However, challenges await from Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as well as Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

After a relatively unexpected run at the Semifinals of Wimbledon this year, Nadal consolidated his good grass run in Toronto, winning his fourth Rogers Cup title (his highest at a non-clay tournament). Rafa enters the US Open as the defending champion and among the favourites to win. Can he do it?

Tweaks towards aggressiveness

Since his comeback in 2017, Nadal has been working on playing increasingly aggressively, with his backhand steadily improving and becoming a stronger threat with each passing tournament, especially his backhand down the line. Nadal is also hitting flatter, faster forehands on the run to finish points quickly. While the success of this tweak has been hit or miss, it has also improved steadily.

In this year’s Wimbledon, Rafa approached the net a lot more than he usually does. A skilled player at the net, it is one of his most underrated shots and perhaps also his least played one. He could use this tactic in the US Open as well. Whether or not the hard court will suit this tactic will be for us to see in his matches in the near future

He’s never defended a non-clay slam

Sounds preposterous, but it’s true. Nadal retired in the quarterfinals of 2010 AO (v Murray), pulled out of the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, lost in the finals of 2011 Wimbledon and US Open and also withdrew from the 2014 US Open. He perhaps has a better shot this year, but he does face stiff competition. Federer has dominated their last 3 and won their last 5 meetings, Djokovic and Nadal haven’t played on hard since Indian Wells in 2016. Zverev and Tsitsipas have never won a match against him, while the #NextGen player who has (Denis Shapovalov) has seen a slump in form. There’s plenty of chances for an upset, but also of victory.

Next. Roger Federer: Underdog among Nadal, Djokovic. dark

Conclusion

It looks likely that Nadal will have a deep run this year, barring injury. He’s been more careful with scheduling this year, so he will be well rested. Expect some magic from Nadal: He usually never disappoints.

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