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French Open 2013: Breaking Down Why Rafael Nadal is so Dominant on Clay
Published: June 8, 2013
His record seven French Open championships and his performance at Roland Garros over the past two weeks—which has him poised for his record eighth title on Sunday—absolutely testify to that fact.
Nadal was built for the clay game both mentally and physically, and his career record of 58-1 at Roland Garros bares it out. He has the mental toughness required on the difficult surface.
His athleticism is off the charts and allows him to extend points when others cannot. The heavy topspin action on his forehand is a true weapon on the slower surface.
Indeed, just about every aspect of what Nadal is, as an athlete and as a tennis player, fits the clay surface and makes besting him such a difficult task—even when he is not at his best. This year alone Nadal has won six titles and is 42-2, with most of those wins coming on the sticky stuff.
Those attributes will all be on display Sunday as Nadal takes on David Ferrer in the finals of the 2013 French Open. If Rafa is to win his record eighth title in a single Grand Slam event and beat Ferrer for the 21st time in 26 meetings, the very aspects that make him so good on clay will have to be at the ready.
Several months ago, Ferrer told ESPN's Greg Garber why he thinks Nadal is so dominant on clay.
"Because," Ferrer said, "he's an unbelievable player. He has all the shots. He has good receive, good forehand with topspin, [the] physical. For my mind, he's the best of the ATP. And in clay, he has more time for [sic] to hit the ball, no?"
Yes, he does, and when those attributes come together on the red clay of Roland Garros, as Ferrer is likely to see Sunday, that true dominance is something to watch.
So, what is it exactly...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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