Alexander Zverev already seeing changes in Rafael Nadal’s game at the French Open, says “he’s 30 percent better”. Rafa replies
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Alexander Zverev, Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has seems to have recovered from the freakish foot pain that appeared in the Italian Open. The foot pain combined with an impressive Denis Shapovalov, knocked Rafa out in Rome. There were some concerns if Rafa would able to play the French Open 2022. Though Rafa has returned for another showdown at the Roland-Garros, pundits are not considering him as serious of a threat as he normally is.
His fellow tennis player and the world number 3, Alexander Zverev begs to differ. He knows that there is something special about Rafael Nadal on clay and in Paris, you can never dismiss Rafa as he is the 13 time winner of the French Open for a reason. In the press conference at Roland-Garros, Zverev said:
“We watched him practice, and all of a sudden his forehand is just 20 miles an hour faster. He moves lighter on his feet. There is something about this court that makes him play 30% better, just being on this court.”
Most of the people will agree that if Rafa finds his form on the clay here in Paris, it would a nightmare for the players to face his forehands and topspins at the Phillipe-Chartier, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Nadal won his fourteenth title here in Paris too.
Rafael Nadal feels a lot can change quickly.
While it’s a great news that Rafa has recovered well for competing in the French Open, he feels that there is a lot of uncertainty in the sport and things change very quickly. About Zverev’s assessment on his play in Paris, Rafa said:
“I won also a lot in Barcelone, Rome and Monte-Carlo. It’s probably not a matter of place. My level of tennis on clay has been high for a long time. But I didn’t have the preparation I would have liked. In sports, things change quickly.”
Nadal knows that he has always been at his best on the clay and he feels that his preparation this year coming into the Roland-Garros has not been the best but in sports things can change relly quickly. It’s just a matter of time, moments of slip up that can cost you the game and vice-versa. Rafa would still be hoping for a good run and a chance to avenge his loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 edition.
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Prateek Sinha
(365 Articles Published)