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French Open 2013: Why Rafael Nadal’s Early Struggles May Give Him a Boost
Published: June 4, 2013
Although Nadal had displayed sparkling form throughout this clay season, one loss to Novak Djokovic aside, many who watched began to wonder. Did he remain the favorite to win an eighth title at Roland Garros, or did disappointment lie ahead for Rafa?
Perhaps it does. Certainly, the form that Nadal showed in the first week will not carry him past Djokovic in a blockbuster semifinal. But framing that first week in the context of similar episodes in his career suggests that the early struggles, far from harming him, might help him in the long-term.
Nadal has enjoyed plenty of dominant title runs in his career, most notably when he won Roland Garros in 2008 and 2010 without losing a set at either tournament. Several of his triumphs at majors have followed starts even more inauspicious than his first week here, however.
For example, Nadal trailed unseeded opponents Robin Haase and Philipp Petzschner by two sets to one in the first week of Wimbledon 2010. Able to raise his game just enough to survive, he soared to a higher level the rest of the way and lost just one more set in four matches.
Nadal's 2010 performance did not mark the first time that Nadal escaped a premature exit and ultimately dazzled at a tournament’s climax.
Three years before, he sank into a two-set hole against Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round of Wimbledon. The 2007 version of Nadal lacked the full set of grass skills that he later developed, but he stood firm with his back against the wall to pull off the comeback. On the next Sunday, he dueled with Roger Federer in a classic five-set final, narrowly falling short of the Wimbledon title.
The thought of Nadal...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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