5 reasons why Rafael Nadal is the hot favourite to win the French Open 2017

 

Former World No. 1 – and currently in the process of returning to No. 3, Rafael Nadal has already broken a number of records through the 2017 season. He has now extended his records at the Monte Carlo Masters (10), the Barcelona Open (10), the Madrid Masters (five) and was set to win an eighth at the Italian Open before a surprising semi-final loss to Dominic Thiem. 

But despite that loss, Nadal is still the most successful player in the history of the French Open with a whopping nine singles titles here – and here’s why we could well expect number 10 and it’s time for La Decima again:

 

Form

There’s not a player on court today that has Rafa Nadal’s form on clay – or perhaps in general, barring of course his biggest rival, Roger Federer. The 14-time Grand Slam winning Spaniard went without a single loss on clay this year until a blockbuster semi-final against ‘Future of Clay’ Dominic Thiem, who beat him in straight sets. Before that, however, Nadal won record-extending titles at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open, each of those venues where he already held the record for highest number of titles.

It is not that Nadal’s form has been restricted to clay alone. Putting up a fierce contest againt Roger Federer during the hard-court season, Nadal reached – and fought two finals against the Swiss, in addition to a semi-final – one at the Major level, and the other two at Masters levels. That rivalry for the ages has been resurrected, and in large part due to both players being in brilliant form. 

Following his 6-month hiatus from tennis after the 2016 French Open (which he was forced to sit out), Nadal has returned with a vengeance – and a stamina and shot-making that would even put his younger self to rest. At 30, Nadal has been running across court, making shots and serving like the Nadal fans knew in the mid-2000s – unshakeable. 

That form has also meant that he has put to rest rivals young, old and anywhere in between – and even in his loss to Dominic Thiem, did not really play a bad game.  

Despite that loss, Nadal’s clearly the man to beat at Roland Garros.