Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. For once, in nearly a decade, you can take the liberty of saying that heading into the French Open.
For the first time since starting his reign as the “King of Clay” in 2005, Rafael Nadal will arrive in Paris with only one title on European clay. For the first time in 10 years, he has lost three matches on his favourite surface in a season.
Read more: Who will be the first to stop Serena Williams in Paris?
In the previous nine years, the Spaniard had lost only 14 of his 279 matches on clay and, between 2005 and 2007, he won a record 81 matches on the trot on the surface.
Overall, 44 of his 63 ATP Tour titles have come on clay. Two of those titles have come this year – the first in Rio de Janeiro and then at Madrid, where he got fortunate when Kei Nishikori, who seemed headed for a straight-sets win, injured his back serving at 6-2, 4-3.
In Monte Carlo, where he is an eight-time champion, the world No 1 was knocked out by David Ferrer in straight sets at the quarter-final stage. In Barcelona, where he has triumphed eight times, Nadal was stunned by Nicolas Almagro in the last eight.
In Rome, where he is a seven-time champion, the King came up against a determined Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final and lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The Serb has won four matches on the trot against Nadal, but this was a bit different.
In their past 10 duels, the winner of the first set had won the match, but Djokovic changed that trend with some astonishing tennis in the last two sets.
The defeat means Nadal is yet to beat a top-five player this year and has only one win over the group in eight months – against then No 3 Ferrer at the World Tour Finals in November.
Nadal, however, remains upbeat as he heads to Paris where he will be bidding for a ninth French Open title. “I think this week is important for me,” Nadal said after his loss to Djokovic in Rome.
“I have won 600 points and I was able to play in another final. I was able to compete well against one of the best players of the moment.
“So I arrive at Roland Garros now more encouraged than what I did a few weeks ago.”
But will that be enough to maintain his stranglehold on the Coupe de Musquetaires and stop Djokovic’s quest for the only grand slam title missing from his resume?
Given his staggering 59-1 record at Roland Garros, it would be unwise to suggest otherwise.
Also, grand slam tournaments are best-of-five-set affairs and that should favour Nadal, given his tenacity and ferocious will to win, which is second to none.
arizvi@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
