Players Under the Microscope / Mandeep / 25 October 2007 / Leave a comment

Mandeep tells us why life may not be so rosy for Rafael Nadal over the next couple of years

This week I will be taking a closer look at the world number two Rafael Nadal. The man who I recently advised to lay in the quarter finals of Madrid has to pick up his game if he is to challenge the likes of Federer and Djokovic on his less favoured surfaces. The clay court king has been struggling, so let us assess his place in today's pantheon of tennis.

Profile

Surprisingly, "El Toro" (The Bull) is not actually left handed. Nadal's coach and uncle Toni decided it would be advantageous for Rafael to utilise his right hand as part of a double handed backhand. Therefore Nadal became a left handed player.

Nadal is the premier player in the world on clay, but has shown his versatility by reaching consecutive Wimbledon finals. He holds the record of most consecutive wins on a surface (81), and arguably would have made that 82 had he not been injured. However, he has not performed as you might expect on hard courts, only reaching the quarter final stages of both the Australian and US Opens.

With the rise of Djokovic (and to some extent Andy Murray), Nadal's place as "second only to Roger Federer" is under threat. However Nadal is a true gladiator, and will not give up his world number 2 without a fight.

Style of Play

The first thing to note about Nadal is- he is a superb athlete who is immensely fit. He is quick over the ground, and has arguably the best defensive game in the world. His relentless consistency of depth (together with huge amounts of spin) make it difficult for his opponents to hit winners against him. Consistency is a key component of his game, and many points are won through the errors of others.

Nadal has an extreme western grip on the forehand which he uses to great effect, generating huge amounts of top spin, forcing his opponents behind the base line. This shot is mostly used defensively to keep himself in the rally whilst he waits for a ball to attack. If he has the opportunity to attack with the forehand, the ball is hit slightly flatter and with more pace.

Nadal particularly favours the off forehand; a shot which provides the majority of his winners.

Nadal's backhand has been the subject of much discussion. Undoubtedly it has improved, and it has become an attacking weapon. The ball is hit relatively flat, and the cross court is now an excellent passing shot.

Nadal's serve can be effective as he has shown on grass. But he under utilises this on hard courts in particular. This is a part of his game that needs more work.

Although Rafa is not a natural volleyer, the basic technique of his volleys are sound, and he is capable at the net when he needs to be.

Form

Since his fantastic run at Wimbeldon, Nadal has had numerous surprising defeats. His hard court (both indoor and outdoor) form is solid if not special. Since the US Open defeat to Ferrer, he has been defeated by Monaco, Ferrer again and Nalbandian. Considering the remaining tournaments of the season, Nadal is a prime suspect for laying in the latter rounds of events. There are many players who will believe they can overcome the Spaniard, and as we know belief is a huge factor in tennis.

The Future ...

Personally I am worried for Nadal. He needs to develop his attacking game or he may end up being classified as another Spanish clay court specialist. He is most probably the greatest clay court play ever, but in order to be considered up there with modern greats such as Federer, Sampras and Agassi, he must win other majors. The rise of Djokovic is a particular threat, and he must show more intent to attack players, rather than waiting for them to make mistakes.

Rafael Nadal plays Betfair Turbo Tennis Saturday 25th October.

http://www.rafaelnadal.com/

Tags: Australian Open betting, Rafael Nadal, tennis betting