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Australian Open: Rafael Nadal seems in top form before the Grand Slam tournament – but caution is the order of the day

Rafael Nadal expanded his lead over Novak Djokovic with his tournament victory at the Melbourne Summer Set, a preparatory tournament. In the final of the 250cc tournament in Melbourne Park, the venue of the upcoming Australian Open (live on Eurosport from January 13th), he beat American Maxime Cressy in two sets 7: 6 (8: 6) on Sunday morning German time , 6: 3.

For the 19th year in a row, the Mallorcan won a title on the ATP Tour – the 89th overall in his career. Only Jimmy Connors (109 titles), Roger Federer (103) and Ivan Lendl (94) have been better since the beginning of the Open Era. He has “distanced” his long-standing rival from Serbia (86).

“I’m coming back after a few challenging moments with injuries, so I couldn’t be happier,” said the 35-year-old on his perfect comeback after a five-month break due to a complicated foot injury. Shortly before Christmas, when he played his first matches at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship since the Masters in Rome in August, he also caught the corona virus. “It means a lot to me to be back with a trophy in my hands.”

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In theory, he could also raise a trophy on January 30th. Then the final of the Australian Open is on.

But is that really realistic?

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“The truth is, it’s been a complicated six months. But I competed again this week and things were going reasonably well. It was just important to play an official tournament again after such a long time, whether I win or not lose “, Nadal assessed his current situation in an interview with the radio station” Onda Cero “on Sunday.

There were “better and worse moments” during his tour comeback. In the end, however, he was able to measure himself again at a good level. “That was what I wanted. Take further steps forward and create positive feelings again.”

Rafael Nadal in Melbourne

Fotocredit: Getty Images

One thing is clear: the favorites for the first highlight of the season Down Under are different. Regardless of whether Novak Djokovic, whose entry story has been making the headlines in the tennis world for days, will ultimately hit Melbourne Park or not, Daniil Medvedev (number two in the world) and Alexander Zverev (number three) should be among the hottest irons in the field.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas (number four), due to an elbow injury he has just survived, including surgery, will at best calculate outsider chances on his comeback on the tour. Just like the underdogs around Andrey Rublev (number five), Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini (number seven) and youngsters like Felix Auger Aliassime (number nine), Jannik Sinner (number eleven) and Casper Ruud (number eight).

Rafael Nadal knows his body

“To be honest, it’s hard to imagine Rafa winning in Melbourne,” said tennis expert Jorge Ordas from Eurosport España in Madrid. Initially, it is not the goal of the 35-year-old, who will have to feel physically comfortable again after a difficult year in 2021 before he can think of higher goals.

But there are also good reasons for including Nadal, who is currently ranked seventh in the world, among the favorites. Not just because of past successes in the Rod Laver Arena, where he made it to the final five times and won the title in the 2009 final against Roger Federer.

Nadal knows his body very well and has already shown in the past after injuries how quickly he can regain top form. The Spaniard dared the trip to Australia primarily because he sees himself physically prepared to endure the rigors of a two-week major. If that is the case, the body holds, Nadal is one of the best based on his reputation and experience alone.

Rafael Nadal with the Melbourne Summer Set 2022 trophy

Fotocredit: Getty Images

In any case, his appearances at the Melbourne Summer Set prove at least decent fitness, even if opponents such as Ricardas Berankis (number 104 in the world), Tallon Griekspoor (65), Emil Ruusuvuori (95) and Maxime Cressy (112) are of course not the best benchmark.

Corretja trusts Nadal with further Grand Slam titles

“I trust that there is still one great title to celebrate with him (Nadal, editor’s note). Not just any great title, I mean a Grand Slam,” predicted former top player Alex Corretja just before Christmas on the sidelines of the “Padel Awards”, to which he was invited as a star guest.

“You just always have the feeling that he still has something up his sleeve and will achieve something great again. You just shouldn’t doubt such special guys as him. Not even when he comes back from a long injury,” said the former Number two in the world.

His compatriot is by no means interested in regaining his place in the sun and displacing Djokovic or whoever from first place in the world rankings. It’s all about Grand Slam titles.

Chasing title 21: Nadal at an advantage?

Nadal is currently, just like Djokovic and Federer, with 20 titles in the four most important tournaments in tennis. The hunt for number 21 has long since begun – and Nadal could even have a slight advantage at the moment due to the events surrounding the Djoker, who is still in a clinch with the Australian immigration authorities.

Jorge Ordas, from Eurosport España in Madrid, also knows: “When the tournament starts and Nadal starts winning matches, we all know what can happen. We know Rafa’s winning mentality.”

And yet they are trying to reduce expectations in Spain – realism is the order of the day. “Despite the events surrounding Djokovic, we know that the Serb still has the best chance of achieving Grand Slam title number 21. The physical and playful level is currently simply higher,” says Ordas.

That may be true in Australia, but in a few months, at the second highlight of the year in Paris, everything could speak for Nadal.

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