Why It Will Be More Difficult Than Ever for Rafael Nadal to Win the French Open

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 23, 2014

commentComment        

The 2014 French Open draw is out, and Rafael Nadal has no choice but to battle through a tough lineup. Roland Garros is his territory, his passion and the foundation to his all-time legacy. Nobody in the history of tennis understands more about what it will take to win this title than the King of Clay. After all, he does hold eight Musketeers' Cups.

But this will be Nadal’s most difficult attempt to win the French Open.

There are rising opponents in a deeper, more emboldened ATP tour. His rival Novak Djokovic may now be the favorite to win the French Open, and players such as Stanislas Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori have shown they have the tools and confidence to battle the Spanish warrior.



In the end, it’s still all about Nadal, and this is where there are concerns and questions. Can he flip the switch to Retro Nadal, or will he be more vulnerable to the rest of the field?

 

Navigating the Draw

First-round opponent Robby Ginepri should pose little problems for Nadal. He played a famous semifinal match at the 2005 U.S. Open, falling to Andre Agassi, but this is 2014. The veteran has been mired in many qualifying matches and is ranked No. 275.

The danger really begins in the second round. Nadal will likely face potential star Dominic Thiem. The young Austrian has a powerful game and has been growing with rapid strides in 2014. He defeated Wawrinka at Madrid, and Thiem looked like a younger version of Wawrinka. He plays with bold strokes and can hit through the court, something that can trouble Nadal, especially if he forgets the moment.

The third round could see No. 30 Vasek Pospisil, a talented young Canadian who is struggling at this time. Leonardo Mayer or Teymuraz Gabashvili are possibilities, but neither figure to threaten Nadal.

There could be more tests in the fourth round. Looming large is fellow Spaniard and No. 21 Nicolas Al...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!