Toni Nadal revealed why his nephew Rafael Nadal almost always struggled at the ATP Finals. Toni analyzed: “The ATP Finals are the toughest tournament for Rafael Nadal. In the Grand Slams he has more time to find the right rhythm and, if he manages to get through the first week, he becomes one of the favorites for the final victory.
mechanism is completely different. You face one of the best in the world from the first game, which makes everything more difficult.” Uncle Toni then went into detail: “Let’s take the Australian Open 2022 as an example.
Rafa didn’t show great tennis in the first three rounds, but as the days went by he gained confidence and his level got higher and higher.” By winning the top two majors of 2022, Nadal stretched over Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the all-time rankings.
The Serbian shortened the gap by triumphing at Wimbledon for the fourth time in a row, the seventh ever. Nole will try to join the Australian Open 2023 already.
Nadal at the ATP Finals 2022
Rafael Nadal’s season ended with a two-set victory against Casper Ruud at the ATP Finals in Turin.
That of the Spaniard was an irrelevant victory, given that he had already been ousted from the race to the semifinals. The former world number 1 had been beaten in two sets by both Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime, having to postpone for the umpteenth time the appointment with the first triumph in the Masters’ tournament.
After a simply formidable first part of the season, which gave him two Grand Slams (the Australian Open and Roland Garros), injuries once again hampered Rafa’s path. The 36-year-old from Manacor was unable to play the Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal tear.
That setback also influenced his approach to the US Open, where he surrendered in the second round to a wild Frances Tiafoe. Nadal will be one of the main star of the much awaited Australian Open 2023, tournament in which will play also Novak Djokovic, after the vaccine-ban of this season.
