King of Clay extends reign to hardcourts

Rafael Nadal, the undisputed King of Clay, could soon extend his reign to the hardcourt after establishing himself as the red-hot favorite for the US Open with back-to-back wins in Montreal and Cincinnati.

With eight French Open titles, Nadal may be the best ever on the dirt, but the Spaniard has also stood tall this year on the American hardcourts, where he remains unbeaten with a 15-0 record.

"On clay, we only had three (Masters events). I won two, and I played the final," Nadal told reporters after grinding out a 7-6, 7-6 win over American John Isner in the final of the Western and Southern Open.

"The results on clay were amazing. On hard, I played three and I won all three. It's only one more match. That's all. I think it's just a coincidence, in my opinion, but no doubt I am a better player on clay than on hard."

Some would debate that assessment, based on Nadal's play on the hardcourts this season which - based on his record - has so far been flawless.

To be fair, Nadal has already proven himself to be a man for all surfaces, with Grand Slam titles on clay, grass and hardcourt.

With the exception of grass and his opening-round exit at Wimbledon, the Spaniard has impressed on all surfaces again this season.

He added to his Grand Slam collection at the French Open and has captured five of seven Masters Series events, including three of four hardcourt stops.

The US Open has always been the hardest Grand Slam for Nadal because of its unforgiving surface and timing.

Of his 12 Grand Slam titles, only one has come at Flushing Meadows and he only reached the final on one other occasion.

Nadal usually arrives at the back end of the tennis schedule with his knees creaking like two rusty gates and nursing a mountain of aches and pains that are the payment for his relentless action-packed style.

A years-long battle with debilitating tendonitis in his knees continues.

But this year, after a long injury layoff that bridged the end of last season and the start of the current campaign along with a six-week break following his Wimbledon exit, Nadal arrived in the US ready for action.

"If I am able to be healthy for the rest of the year, probably the rest is going to be positive," he said.

"For the last eight years before the injury, I didn't stop.

"Every year I played long, very long seasons with very, very high intensity.

"So mentally and physically, to have a period of rest and recovery, your body is great.

"When you are in tough moments, in hard moments, when you are suffering, working every day, trying to recover, when you are back, the only thing you want to do is try to enjoy every moment, try to be at 100 percent and play with the higher intensity and passion.

"After the place that I came from, just to be here playing and competing is fantastic and that gives me this extra power, this intensity to compete well."

(China Daily 08/20/2013 page22)