May 4, 2009. Rafael Nadal defeated in the final of the Rome Masters 1000 to Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-2. Comes to string three consecutive titles (Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome), besides having won earlier this year Australia's Open and the first position in the ATP rankings. Before him is the challenge of winning Roland Garros for the sixth straight year. His opponents fear him and there is talk of a new dominating the tennis world. The great Roger Federer may go down in history.
April 18, 2010. Nadal returns to win an individual title for almost a year after their last trophy. He does it in Monte Carlo, where wins for the sixth time, sweeping all his rivals, including his friend Fernando Verdasco, who at the very end, is only able to win a game of Manacor (6-0 6-1). between, Rafa living a nightmare of injuries and lost the first position ranking. His "enemy" Federer, rises from the ashes and triumphs at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, recovering scepter of world tennis. Nadal has to hear all sorts of criticism, if his way of playing tennis is going to take an early withdrawal, if you can not give more of himself, that if young people coming behind you will pass on the ranking, ...
First, coldly analyze the results obtained by Nadal this year in which, remember, had to stop several times because of injuries: Davis Cup champion, three finals (Madrid, Shanghai and Doha) , a semifinalist in U.S. Open, Cincinnati, Beijing, Paris, Indian Wells and Miami, and quarterfinalist at the Open de Australia. just disappointed in Roland Garros (4 th round) and on the ATP Tour World Finals (Round Robin ) . All this, including downtime and laps because of his battered knees. And, according to experts, more than one loss came as a result of lack of confidence logic that produced their physical discomfort. For years, we've all thought that Rafa is a time machine and has shown us that it is not. Nadal is human. Perhaps a little less human than the ordinary citizen, but his body, like the rest, you can go through these cycles of injury. The important thing is that their mentality Winning is doing back on the road to success.
The first setback came at home in Madrid, where he defeated Roger Federer in the final with a double 6-4. Rafa reached the final after he defeated Djokovic in the semifinals 7-6 7-6 3-6 after more than four hours of play. No alarm bells ringing. The defeat came at Roland Garros after breaking Bjorn Borg's streak of wins in a row in the French courts. Nadal made it 31 matches. Here we would set off alarm bells, because Rafa began to show signs of fatigue. But the bomb exploded a few weeks later, Nadal announced a temporary withdrawal of the circuit to undergo treatment on his knees, to defend the title at Wimbledon . This meant the loss of world number one. In addition, it also issued the separation of their parents, which was a personal blow to the Spaniard.
returned to the track in Montreal, two and a half months after his last tournament. There he fell in the quarterfinals and lost to Del Potro's second ranking position. The criticism began to fall on you, but Rafa responded with great maturity, if not number one, he did not care are the two, three or four. He wanted to recover. Cincinnati recovered feelings towards the last Grand Slam of year, but Djokovic him out of the finals, proving that Nadal's fitness was not optimal to deal with their biggest rivals.
At the U.S. Open again pulling claw to stand in the semifinals. There was swept away by Juan Martin del Potro, eventual champion, by a 6-2 triple. Until the end of the season, Rafa continued recovering feelings, but could not defeat top level players . Was missing a step, perhaps confidence, in order to become the one before. In the last months of the year lost to Cilic Davydenko (twice), Djokovic (also twice) and Soderling. Especially painful was his participation in the World Finals, losing all three games without being able to win a set. With this background, Nadal was planted in the Davis Cup final with the need to close the year with a win. And he did. won his two singles matches and Spain won its fourth Salad . Thus, Nadal closed 2009 with a smile and in order to rebuild trust.
And that trust is slowly recovering. The beginning of the year was promising, with finish in the prestigious tournament in Doha, losing to Davydenko after having won the match. However, Australia will again invade the doubts in his quarter- final against Andy Murray. Rafa withdrew in the third set after noticing now, again, on his knees. Becomes a concern in the environment player. Nadal decides to rest for two months until the U.S. tour, where he does both in Indian Wells semifinals and Miami.
Then came the ground. Nadal territory. In Monte Carlo walks Rafa winning all their matches easily. The data is overwhelming: only lost twelve games in the tournament. Your ride, both in semis against Ferrer (6-2 6-3) and in the final against Verdasco (6-0 6-1), shows that Nadal has become the best. Has regained confidence in itself. Furthermore, in a sign of his maturity, the Spaniard decides to give to participate in the tournament in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bhis club, to take care of physically. For the first time in years, Rafa acts with the head and not your heart. The experience of recent months has been learned. Now, Rafa has seen the light at the end of the tunnel. The champion is back to stay .
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