The Balearic Islands must be champions and Medvedev fails to reach the quarter-finals. A situation which excites him, but which does not make him change organization.
Rafael Nadal’s 2022 (3rd ATP) can sign another memorable episode in Cincinnati. The Spaniard is one step away from becoming world number one again and in Ohio he has the chance to return to the top of the rankings. A situation that turned the tournament upside down and turned the tennis player’s press conference into one of the most anticipated of the day.
“It means a lot to me to have the opportunity to reach world number 1 at this stage of my career. This is something I never expected to happen again. Right now the most important thing is to stay healthy and play the tournaments I want to play “, he commented as soon as he settled in the press room of the Masters 1000.
A scenario to which he arrives at 36 years old and after more than a month of inactivity, since his last match dates back to July 6 in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. It was in this duel against Taylor Fritz (13th) that the Balearic suffered from his abdomen and suffered a tear. That’s why number one excites him, but doesn’t obsess him.
Always putting his body first, the Spaniard insisted that he would not change his program to hunt down Daniil Medvedev (1st) and that he would stick to the initial schedule. “It doesn’t occur to me to play more tournaments than I think I need to play for the sake of my body. I’m going to do my best in every tournament I take part in, it’s something I’ve always done in my career, whether or not I have the opportunity to be number 1 again. I’m happy in the position I have I am at the moment, so if it finally happens, it will be great news “commented the winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments.
An estate that would take place in Cincinnati if Nadal manages to lift the title and Medvedev does not settle in the quarter-finals . If, on the other hand, the formula does not materialize in Ohio, the Spaniard will continue to have a good chance at the US Open, a tournament where he does not defend points and where the Russian was champion the last year.
But the schedule and the season give Rafa the advantage. He is not defending any units by the end of the year and during the current course he has a record of 35 wins and just four losses in seven months , winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros titles. A great year, only slowed down by injuries. That is why there is measurement.
“If you play well, and I think you more or less did, then you have a better feeling on the pitch. But the competition is something totally different, you have to accept the difficulties as they come, accept that it will be difficult at the beginning, even more in a Masters 1000. At these levels, if you come back after an injury or a stoppage of time, it’s always difficult to reach your best level and win a few matches. Here, the rivals ask you for the maximum from the start, so you have to find that maximum level. That’s what I’m gonna try “Commented Nadal during a press conference.
The Cincinnati tournament started today and the 14-time Roland Garros champion awaits a rival between Lorenzo Musseti (33rd) and Borna Coric (112th protected rank) . The world number one, on the other hand, will face Botic Van de Zandschulp (24th) on his debut. Although the Muscovite is the big favorite, he has just been eliminated in the first round in Toronto.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
