‘Rafael Nadal puts intensity into his forehand’, Gilles Simon strategizes his game while commenting on Nadal’s playing style
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King of Clay Rafael Nadal’s ability to turn the tide in his favor while turning tense matches is very well-documented. The Spaniard had made amazing comebacks in tough encounters throughout his career. Many of these turnarounds came at Nadal’s favorite tournament the Roland Garros, here he has been crowned champion a record 13 times.
This kind of ability and skill from Nadal has inspired many to look at their own playing style and make improvements. One of them has been French star, Gilles Simon.
Simon intends to learn a thing or two from Nadal’s playing style and make improvements in his own game in order to go to that next level.
Rafa starts from what works when things aren’t working well: Gilles Simon
The World No.63 recently appeared for an interview with Tennis Majors, where he detailed Nadal’s ability to comeback from the dead. Simon also showed his desire to enact some of the same in his own game.
“Rafa starts from what works when things aren’t working well. I’m going to put a lot of intensity in my forehand range on the backhand side of the other. And I’m going to be around a lot by putting energy into it,” Simon said.
Simon then outlines how Rafa Nadal plots his comeback into matches that seem far from his reach.
“If his life depends on one point, he’s going to play this. That’s what’s so special about him, and then you see the construction. Then he’ll play longer, and sometimes he comes forward, etc. Let’s just approach it this way, it would be easier,” Simon acknowledges.
Rafael Nadal and Gilles Simon have faced each other 9 times on tour over the years. With Nadal wining 8 contests. Simon’s solitary victory over Nadal came way back at 2008, when the Frenchmen defeated the Spaniard in the Madrid Open semifinal..
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