Rafael Nadal, currently ranked second in the world finds himself three matches away from regaining the world No. 1 spot. This current situation is the result of an extraordinary journey he has been through since January. Losing that final to Roger Federer at the Australian Open did nothing but to reignite the flame for the 31-year-old Spaniard. Now, the entire world seems to expect Nadal to take some revenge over Federer. Given the circumstances, these two are set for a clash in the final at Rogers Cup. For Nadal, being so close to the world No.
1 spot for the first time in nearly three years is just another reason to compete at his best.
Nadal is the first seed in Montreal with Federer looming from the bottom half of the draw
As a top seed in Montreal, Rafael Nadal received a bye for the inaugural round. His bid for the top spot in men's tennis will put Nadal in front of the winner between Borna Coric and the lucky loser Mikhail Youzhny. If he gets through the round of 32, Nadal could face John Isner or maybe Juan Martin del Potro. One of these two is likely to make it to the third round since they are set to face each other in the opening round. The second quarter of the draw will produce a possible opponent for the quarterfinals having Milos Raonic as the main star.
David Goffin is also trying to regain his rhythm.
If he reaches the last four stages, starting next Monday, Nadal will get on top of Andy Murray in the ATP rankings. Also, the semi final could bring Alexander Zverev or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the other side of the net. Going one step further, the Spaniard may face Roger Federer in the final act.
It would be their fourth meeting of the season. So far, 2017 had Federer dominating Nadal with all their three previous meetings being held on a hard court. Their upcoming potential clash will stick to the same surface. Some see that as leverage for Federer while other see it as a genuine test and opportunity for Nadal.
Nadal has some great numbers under his belt
Starting the season with a final in Melbourne, the Spaniard didn't stop there. He went on dominating the entire clay court season including the French Open where he captured a 10th title and his 15th Grand Slam overall. The transition from clay to grass was less successful, but the ongoing North American outdoor hard session could have Nadal reaching his peak. So far, the numbers are great given the numbers of matches he played in. He is 46-7 in win/loss compartment, and the full potential hasn't been reached yet.
