Catch up on you reading while Rafa rests up his knees for the rest of the Clay season..

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Nadal, a volcano awakens translated article:

Toni Nadal, interviewed by L’Equipe after Rafael Nadal’s sixth consecutive victory in Monte Carlo on Sunday, was keen on reassuring the sceptics : « Rafael is not an animal, not an extraterrestrial, he’s a normal player”. Well, this makes our eyebrows to rise in astonishment as if we just heard the news that a clowd of ashes was going to block the European air traffic. Toni continues: “We have prepared for Monte Carlo as usual. We’re not going to reinvent things now”

OK, so what we understood is the following: Nadal is better than a force of nature, he’s an exceptional tennis player. Thanks for the scoop Toni, everybody will have grasped it by now. What we need to keep in mind from the reaction of the most famous uncle-coach of the sport is the big return of the trivialization of a Nadal exploit.
Nadal across the clay court circuit

After 11 months of calm on the clay frequency, the ATP seismograph was once again taken on the road. In 2008, Roger Federer battled against this now famous “chimera” to dispute one of his most beautiful seasons in 2009. Rafael Nadal was boiling deep down internally during eleven difficult months before once again reaching the sunny surface again. The Nadals are quite anxious after all.

Remember one of the alarmist tyrannies of Toni regarding Rafael’s health in 2007 as a way of easing the pressure by endlessly admitting Federer’s superiority and the difficulties the player had felt during the encounters in those previous few months? Today, we have a better understanding of the Nadal phenomenon. Between natural talent, work and determination, he’s been able to find a rare balance for 5 years running. During the last eleven months, he underwent what the majority of players experience: trying to regain a volatile confidence.

He hits the ball so much better today »

Looking at it from the outside, some could have interpreted this as an inevitable decline due to a perception of his limited game and « physical » elements. On Eurosport.fr, we gradually learned to observe the Mallorcan’s game. Like everybody, at first, I was fascinated by the physical impact. Nadal, the toreador, the laborer, the gladiator,…all those comparisons have gone around the world and have passed every news desk. However, once this caricature is digested, you need to become fully aware of the obvious : Nadal is also very talented and capable of evolving his game.

Toni Nadal summarized this as follows this Monday: “In 2005, he based everything on his forehand and his defence, he ran a whole lot to win one point, he hits the ball so much better today.” Targetting the media on the topic of the supposed decline of his nephew: “If you think that he will never be as good as he was before, you’re entitled to write that. But it’s not our problem. I would be afraid if I had seen Rafael work less or less than he used to do. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

Another good diagnosis comes from Roger Federer, he very well knows what he’s talking about, it was a matter of “lacking confidence”. Rafael Nadal repeated it to whomever wanted to hear it but it was more difficult to convince himself. To win several matches in a row was not enough, he needed to win several in a convincing manner and above all, he needed to win a title. In Monte Carlo, he found the rhythm again ; the same rhythm that has made him that irresistible player for 4 years.

In Monte Carlo, he was also able to use the psychological advantage he has over his compatriots, unable to really contest his leadership. In Rome, Madrid and Rolland Garros (because the Nadals have finally decided to become “reasonable”, as some people online called it on Monday – Deus Irae – by skipping Barcelona), it needs to be seen if this new confidence is as fertile as the lava of a volcano or if it will simply fly away like ashes just like we’ve seen in the last couple of big appointments (US Open, Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami).

DEFEATS TO MAKE YOU DOUBT:

2010
M1000 Miami, semi-final against Andy Roddick.
M1000 Indian Wells, semi-final againstIvan Ljubicic
ATP Doha, final against Nikolay Davydenko

2009
Masters Cup : three defeats against Söderling, Davydenko, Djokovic
M1000 Bercy, semi-final against Novak Djokovic
M1000 Shanghai, final against Nikolay Davydenko
ATP Beijing, semi-final against Marin Cilic
US Open, semi-final against Juan Martin Del Potro
M1000 Cincinnati, semi-final against Novak Djokovic
M1000 Canada, quarter-final against uan Martin Del Potro

FIGURES TO MAKE YOU DREAM :

6 consecutive victories in Monte Carlo (only Guillermo Vilas did as well in modern history in Buenos Aires)
5 consecutive victories in Barcelona
4 titles in Rome, only one defeat (2008) in 5 participations
4 consecutive titles in Roland-Garros
16 Masters 1000 titles, the same amount as Roger Federer, only one less then the record of Andre Agassi
26 clay court titles (only two lost finals, each time against Federer) in 37 in total
23 years.

Julien Carrasco

 
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