Reclaims top

What a difference a year makes. This time last season, Rafa Nadal was left to rue the state of his fitness, having had to withdraw in the third round of the French Open due to a left wrist injury. It was a particularly bad time for him; he was just pushing 30, but he was, for all intents, an old 30, handicapped in no small measure by his own punishing style of play. And he looked to be breaking down; after likewise missing Wimbledon, he spent the rest of the year searching for form. Fast forward to the aftermath of Roland Garros 2017, and he looks as if he’s ready to take the sport by storm anew.

To be sure, Nadal’s ascent and ascendancy coincided with the stunted progress of other marquee names. Roger Federer battled with health issues. Andy Murray suffered from a dip in form. And Novak Djokovic somehow lost confidence following an emphatic claim to the Coupe des Mosquetaires. Still, it’s hardly fair to discount his achievements as a result. Regardless of the cast of characters standing in his way, he still needs to overcome the challenges they pose. And, at the French Open, he did so with aplomb. He didn’t just win; he dominated.

Indeed, Nadal paved an exquisite road to the championship at Roland Garros. He dropped only 35 games en route, with no one player managing to win four in a single set. In the final against supposedly dangerous Stan Wawrinka, he romped to victory two, three, and one. “Too good” was how his opponent, holder of three major titles and a hitherto pristine record in tennis’ grandest stages, termed his effort, and with ample reason. And so lopsided were the numbers in his favor that they approximated those in his tournament opener.

At the awarding ceremony, Nadal saw fit to deflect attention to others in his camp, in particular coaches Toni Nadal, Francis Roig, and Carlos Moya. He’s right to do so, of course; the campaign of any one practitioner at the highest levels brings with it physical and mental pressure capable of being withstood only with proper and unflinching support. All the same, he deserves the most props for his return to the top of the heap. He didn’t give up at his lowest. And now, at his peak, he’s ready for another protracted run.

At the awarding ceremony, Nadal saw fit to deflect attention to others in his camp, in particular coaches Toni Nadal, Francis Roig, and Carlos Moya. He’s right to do so, of course; the campaign of any one practitioner at the highest levels brings with it physical and mental pressure capable of being withstood only with proper and unflinching support. All the same, he deserves the most props for his return to the top of the heap.