Subtly outstanding Finally, Boulter has turned teachings into a winning tennis game
With his preferred clay court season rapidly approaching, Rafael Nadal is making his comeback this week in Indian Wells, the first combined ATP/WTA 1000 tournament of the year, as he attempts to regain his form and momentum. His dilemma remains the same: can he stay healthy enough to compete on a regular basis at the top level once more?
Throughout his career, Rafael Nadal has already had several injuries. He has talked about his mental recovery from them, the length of time he spent in rehab, and the regrettable impact they have had on his day-to-day activities. Even at 37, he still has the same drive and enthusiasm for his work and profession, but he can only handle so many more disappointments before losing up.
Nadal’s forehand was still firing brilliantly, he moved enough, and he continues to offset his waning athleticism by relying more heavily on his vast array of shots. The good news is that there are fewer questions regarding Nadal’s level. The bad news is that, after just three matches in January, he looked good. He just looked mentally and physically rusty after such a long layoff.
Nadal will take on former world No. 3 Milos Raonic in an important first-round encounter in Indian Wells. The two players faced off in an 11-year-ago Masters 1000 final in Toronto. In the second round, the victor will take on Holger Rune, the seventh seed, with Nadal leading the head-to-head 8-2. Raonic and Nadal have very different playing approaches, but they currently share a lot in common, since Raonic missed two years between 2021 and 2023 due to a string of demoralizing injuries.
