With Bag Of Tricks, Rafa Ready To Defend US Open Title

There is always room for improvement. It is an approach that has defined Rafael Nadal throughout his distinguished career, and it’s a sentiment the World No. 1 has not been shy about proclaiming when given the opportunity.

Francisco Roig, coach of Nadal, also feels there is always room for his charge to improve. Roig, along with fellow coach Carlos Moya, will be courtside at the US Open when Nadal attempts to capture his fourth title at Flushing Meadows.

It might be difficult to poke holes in Nadal’s game and find an extra level following the Spaniard’s title run at the Rogers Cup, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, earlier this month. But such is the case, and Team Nadal made that clear by agreeing to skip the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati to rest up and fine-tune even the most minor details to guarantee that when Nadal steps on to the court at this year’s US Open, he is ready for anything that might come his way.

"After Toronto, we spent a few days working with Rafa on a physical level. Despite the fact he won the event, we felt Rafa’s body wasn’t operating at its best,” Roig told ATPWorldTour.com from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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During his Masters 1000-winning week in Toronto, Nadal defeated Benoit Paire, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, Karen Khachanov and, ultimately, Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim his fifth title of the season and 33rd Masters 1000 crown overall. Currently, he is 40-3 in 2018, putting him at the top of the ATP Race To London with a 2,140-point lead over second-placed Roger Federer. 

“We had some time to go through things when we arrived [last Sunday] in New York and Rafa was already in good shape,” Roig said. “It’s a shame the US Open doesn’t start this Sunday, because Rafa has found his form.”

On Saturday, Nadal squeezed in last-minute preparations by taking to the court against Argentine Guido Pella in a practice session under the watchful eyes of his coaches. The 32-year-old begins his 2018 US Open campaign against countryman David Ferrer on Monday night.

"Rafa is moving very well, he’s transitioning from the back of the court to the front very well, he’s changing directions very well, he’s well-rested, his serve is clicking… Overall, all I can say is he’s doing everything very well,” Roig said.

Roig’s reasons for liking his pupil’s chances extend beyond how Nadal looked on the practice court, his No. 1 ranking, or the five titles he has won this season. According to Roig, it’s an intangible, indefinable quality Nadal possesses that allows him to lift his game and win championships with whatever tools he possesses at that moment. As Roig likes to say, Nadal has a deep bag of tricks.

"Rafa has the ability to win with what he has," Roig said. “He can pull something out from that bag and change things around the way other players can’t.”

Just how deep is that bag going into the final Grand Slam championship of the year?

"The bag is quite full, but another matter is knowing when to use what," Roig said. "On top of that, every match is different; [there are] different tricks for different match-ups. If he only has a few things at his dispense going into a particular match, he will manage what he has with 100 per cent efficiency. When it comes to managing those things, Rafa is better than anyone; he plays with what he has accordingly.

“At the moment, he is in a position to come out firing; he is in a position to charge on to the court aggressively with everything at his disposal. We all know what Rafa is capable of. He is the defending champion and he learned from his performances in 2017. He didn’t have the best start last year and it nearly cost him early on. Sometimes, he is on his bicycle from the get-go; I think that’s the way he’s feeling going into the event this year.”

Although it’s way too early to look beyond the first round, it’s also hard to hide the fact that the 17-time Grand Slam champion is in a solid position to contend for his fourth US Open crown. But he isn’t without stiff competition. Five-time titlist Roger Federer and Career Golden Masters winner Novak Djokovic are also serious prospects to lift their second major trophy this year.

Roig isn’t surprised by Djokovic’s resurgence. He knew Nadal’s long-time rival was bound to bounce back in a forceful manner eventually and that when he did, he’d pick up from where he left off.

"I had no doubt that Djokovic was going to come back, because he is too good not to do so," Roig said. "He was playing at such a high level for so many years and it is very difficult to maintain that level of consistency for so long. He had that dip for a little bit but he is proving all his doubters wrong and all I know is that I was never one of those to doubt he would be back.”

Another of Nadal’s main rivals will also be in action at the US Open. Andy Murray, the 2012 champion, will be back in Flushing Meadows after missing the 2017 event due to a hip injury. That means the 'Big Four' of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray will meet in the same tournament for the first time since Wimbledon 2017.

“Of the ‘Big Four', maybe it’s Murray who has fallen a step behind,” Roig said. “But falling a step behind means nothing; I don’t know how he’s playing right this moment. If he’s recovered physically, he’s obviously a threat to Rafa’s [title] defence. A match between Rafa and Murray is always 50-50.”

In 2018, for the sixth time in history (also 2005-08 and 2010), Nadal and Federer will be the top seeds at the US Open. Federer topped the list of seeds from 2005-2007, while top seed Nadal also  led the seeding chart in 2008 and 2010. Roig tips his hat to both the longevity and raw ability of both players.

"Rafa and Roger are two phenomena,” Roig said. “They have each made comebacks, they have dodged pitfalls, their rivalry goes back years, they both push each other and, honestly, each is pulling for the other. I can honestly say that if one wasn’t playing, the other might have retired by now as well.”

All that said, Team Nadal still has its sights firmly set on the US Open crown. With little time to spare before Nadal steps on the court to kick off his 2018 US Open campaign, his team is confident that his bag of tricks is fully packed, and that their charge is in great shape to lift a fourth trophy in New York.