‘It is a little to ambitious to think he is going to win it!’ Mats Wilander on Rafael Nadal’s chances of winning the 2022 Australian Open, says Novak Djokovic is going to win his 21st major and ‘sail into the sunset’
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Rafael Nadal and Mats Wilander
Ever since Novak Djokovic’s deportation, talks of Rafael Nadal winning his record 21st major at Melbourne Park this year have intensified. Nadal has looked confident in his first two matches and is yet to drop a set all week. In fact, Nadal hasn’t dropped a set all year- he won the Melbourne tune up tournament without dropping a set too.
Many feel that it is a perfect opportunity for Nadal to win a major in Melbourne- a place where he doesn’t boast a great record. 3-time Australian Open champion and tennis expert Mats Wilander in an interview with Tennis365 spoke about Rafa’s chances of winning the 2022 Oz Open.
Wilander doesn’t feel that Nadal could win in Melbourne this year and said that it’s just a little too ambitious to think he’s going to win it because he’s had the least success in Melbourne.
“It is a little to ambitious to think he is going to win it,” Wilander told Tennis365. “The Australian Open is the Grand Slam where he has had the least success.”
He further explained why he thinks so. He believes that Nadal performs well when he has had a lot of tune up tournaments or matches which he doesn’t this time.
“Why is that? I think the main reason is he hasn’t built up a lot of confidence through the pre-season because obviously you can’t, just practicing and not playing too many matches. Rafa always plays his best when he has racked up a few matches and wins,” he said.
He also said that he thought Djokovic would’ve won the 21st major first and sailed into the sunset as the GOAT but recent events may suggest otherwise. He also said he thinks Rafa play a full season given he’s starting in Australia.
“We are looking at this unbelievable race. Novak is going to win his 21st Grand Slam and sail into the sunset as the greatest player of all-time and then this situation happens and Rafa is back. It has all come to a grinding halt with Novak and we don’t know about Rafa, but it tells me he is going to have a full season by being here,” Wilander said.
Nadal to face Khachanov in third round
In the third round of the Australian Open, Nadal will face Russian 28th seed Karen Khachanov on Friday at the Rod Laver Arena. Nadal will go in as the favorite but will be wary of Khachaov’s power game. The Russian is the Olympic silver medalist and knows how to deliver at the biggest stage. It will be the toughest match of the season for Nadal but expect him to do well and sail into the Round of 16.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2595 Articles Published)