Rafael Nadal's return to clay came at the Barcelona Open where the Spaniard could only reach the second round. But, considering the context in which the last two years of his career have taken place, it is very positive that he has been able to make contact with his favorite surface, which will now have a new chapter in the Mutua Madrid Open 2024.
As is already known, Nadal is playing the last year of his professional career. In January he started playing in Brisbane, but got injured and did not return until the aforementioned Barcelona Open. Therefore, Rafa has to be aware of his chances in an ATP 1000 like Madrid. Practically nobody, as is logical, is betting on a long participation in the tournament. However, Rafa is synonymous with miracles, and with him on court nothing is out of the question. But how will Nadal have to face the Madrid Open in order to go far?
Now he is going to have to be much more aggressive. His normal clay court game was based on chewing the points until he could win them, and to be honest, right now the matches can't go long for him considering his age, his physique and his history with injuries.
In the second round his potential opponent will be again Alex de Minaur, a player who already beat him in Barcelona, also in the second round, and who almost won the first set of that match. The important thing for Nadal should be that the match does not take so long. For this, we tell you the three keys that Rafa will have to focus on.
3 KEYS FOR RAFA NADAL TO GO FAR AT THE MADRID OPEN.
- The serve: Due to his abdominal injury, Nadal had to change the way he serves. This means that his new technique has to be very effective, while causing minimal damage to his physique. In Barcelona he could already be seen with a totally shortened movement so that the abdominal area did not suffer, pulling his arm completely.
- The forehand: The forehand must be very powerful. Going back to the idea that the points should not drag on too long, Rafa should take advantage of his powerful forehand to do so and win many points this way.
- Unforced errors: As he will have to be more aggressive and shorten the points, it is normal that we see in Nadal's game a greater number of unforced errors. It will be essential that the Spaniard can reduce as much as possible the amount he commits in each match.
Originally written for TenisAldia.ES.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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