Rafael Nadal knows what he needs on the 2019 ATP Tour

Former world number one Rafael Nadal is among the veteran tennis players cautiously approaching their upcoming ATP Tour schedules.

Rafael Nadal remains one of the best players in men’s singles tennis. He is like many of his peers, however, and must consider his health now more than ever before. Entering the 2019 ATP Tour as the world number two behind just Novak Djokovic, Nadal plans to conquer the year ahead in a strategic fashion. Rafa knows himself better than anyone else.

HERE, Nadal talks to the press about what we can expect to see from him on the upcoming tour. With his immense experience, he understands what he is capable of and will base his scheduling decisions around where he can make the most out of his play.

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After such an accomplished career already, Nadal also understands which part of the tour he enjoys most. Based on his comments, one must think that the King of Clay will continue to structure the bulk of his big tournament play around the clay court season.

Just last year, Nadal took home his 11th title in men’s singles at Roland Garros. Defeating Austrian up and coming ATP star Dominic Thiem in the finals, the King of Clay added to his already illustrious resume at the French Open.

HERE, we recap every single one of Rafael Nadal’s Roland Garros wins over the years.

With action kicking off around the world, fans and players alike are obviously curious about Rafa’s intentions in 2019. Nadal took home a Grand Slam title last year as he battled back and forth for the top ranking in the sport with Roger Federer for much of the year. Then, Djokovic took over, rediscovering his world number one worthy game as he notched two more Grand Slam singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open. It was at that same time that Rafa also began to struggle with ongoing injuries that have been a problem in the past few years. The good thing is that the Spanish great can recognize when he needs to step away and when he is able to push himself.

Similar to another former world number one in Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal knows his body better than everyone else. The media, fans, and other players may have their opinions on what he does on the ATP Tour, but Nadal will play the tournaments he wants to when he knows he is in top shape. A competitive and more strategic Nadal moving forward will make for incredibly thrilling tournaments when he’s in the action.