Rafael Nadal along with Roger Federer, they both, had their era of dominance over the ATP professional circuit. In 2017, they might be the dark horses of the men's tennis circuit as they were successful in forging the way back where they used to belong not that much in the past.If Federer can brag about his 18th Grand Slam title, Rafael Nadal, the runner-up of the 2017 Australian Open, will focus on the clay court which is about to take off in about a month. For The Spaniard, there are a couple of pit stops to be made along the way, Indian Wells and Miami.
After that, he is going to step onto his most suitable surface which is clay.
Some unfinished business from 2016
If he manages to keep himself healthy, Nadal could dominate the clay season. Last year, he was in the process of doing so, but an unfortunate wrist injury called an end to his journey on the European clay. Prior to his withdrawal from the French Open, Nadal already had played 4 ATP outdoor clay events winning the first 2 of them, Monte Carlo and the next week Barcelona. The first signs of weakness emerged in Madrid and then in Rome where he melted down either in front of Djokovic or to Murray.
Hitting back the tennis court after several months of poor results and a long absence, for the first time in years, Nadal seems to play pain-free.
There were no bandages whatsoever embroidering his knees or wrists during the Australian Open. A fit body is always a good news especially for a guy who suffered a lot from injuries in the last seasons.
Nadal is not done yet
The Spaniard will turn 31 this spring, but the prospect of retirement is not on the table yet. Winner of 69 ATP titles throughout his career, he can still make a difference in the professional tennis circuit as well as his older rival Roger Federer.
It's going to be an interesting spring, whether is about hardcourt or clay, to have all the Big Four members playing at the same time at significant ATP events. It won't be a surprise at all if Nadal will clinch his 15th Grand Slam title this season. Federer just proved the impossible is nothing.
