I work very hard to keep improving, I'm happy with the level of tennis and intensity I have on the court: Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has said he is very happy with the level of tennis he is playing at present.
The Spaniard has had an incredible start to 2022, winning all of his 15 matches so far. He began the year by winning the Melbourne Summer Set without dropping a set and followed it up by clinching his second Australian Open crown.
The 35-year-old came back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the final at Melbourne Park to become the first man to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles.
Nadal beat the Russian for the second time this year to reach the final of the Mexican Open in Acapulco. He then defeated Cameron Norrie to win the tournament for the fourth time in his career.
Speaking ahead of the Indian Wells Masters, the Spaniard said that he has always managed to adapt his game and is happy with the level at which he is playing now.
"Throughout my career, I've always been able to find a way to adapt my game when I needed to be a better player," the Spaniard said. "At times I've played more aggressively, at times I've played a bit more defensively, more tactically. My serve It's working really well, which is really important at this point in my career.
"Also, I think I've been brave enough to be able to play with the necessary determination. I'm just still working really hard to keep getting better, but I'm happy with the level of tennis and the intensity that I am showing on the court."
"Mi saque está funcionando muy bien, lo que es realmente importante en estos momentos de mi carrera. Además, creo que he sido lo suficientemente valiente para poder jugar con la determinación necesaria"
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"After Roland Garros, I couldn't even walk for weeks" - Rafael Nadal
Nadal's 2021 season was cut short due to an injury he suffered at Roland Garros, where he exited in the semifinals.
The Spaniard said the extent of the injury was such that he could barely walk for two weeks. Despite the setback, he tried to maintain a positive outlook.
"I tried to stay as positive as I could, there's no more," Nadal added. "Last year we didn't do mobility training or run. After Roland Garros, I couldn't even walk for two weeks. I wasn't ready to go to Washington or Toronto, but I wanted to try. The two months of training before those tournaments were horrible. After that, winning in Australia was really important, but being able to be competitive and enjoying the competition was what really excited me, being able to play in a huge stadium and full of fans."
The reigning Australian Open champion will now compete at the Indian Wells Masters as the fourth seed. The Spaniard is among the heavy favorites to win the competition given his recent run of form.
The 35-year-old, who has won the tournament thrice, has said that it is one of his favorites events on the calendar.
"I've been here for more than a week, but I always enjoy Indian Wells. It's definitely one of my favorite tournaments. I go day by day, I just try to enjoy the moment. Being in this position is something unexpected for me, so I try to Instead of enjoying it every day, I try to enjoy the fact that I'm playing well. I've already won three titles this year and that's impressive for me."
@BNPPARIBASOPEN)Nadal vs Rublev at practice yesterday in Indian Wells ⚡
(🎥 @BNPPARIBASOPEN) https://t.co/qghD9VRMCi
The Spaniard faces Sebastian Korda in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters on Saturday. A victory for Nadal will see him take on either 27th seed Dan Evans or Federico Coria in the third round.