What do you do when your opponent has the strongest of strangleholds on you? How do you actually motivate yourself to go out on court with a belief to win after losing seven matches on a row against someone? How do you beat someone who beats you even in your own game? These are the questions Rafa will have to answer before he can even think of winning a Grand Slam or a Masters tournament which features Novak Djokovic.
Obstacles for Rafael Nadal
The Serb has managed to stun Nadal in his own game and though Australian Open Final was the closest Rafa came to beating Djok, it was by far the most disappointing. It broke the common perception that Rafa could tire out any opponent and as the game grew longer Rafa grew stronger. It was the second time on a row when Rafa looked more fatigued than Djokovic and it was established for sure that Djokovic is the fitter player at the moment at least. Moreover, Rafa surely seems to have lost the mental stability to edge out his opponents in the most crucial of opponents. How else do you explain the back hand he hit leading 30 – 15, 4 – 2 in the last set. Either that or Djokovic is stronger than Nadal mentally. Either ways, it does not bode well for Rafa!!
Rafa – The Champion
Champions always have one fight left in them!! Armstrong came back from cancer to win Tour De France, Schumaker came back from retirement to perform admirably in a below par car and Rock came back in Wrestlemania to beat Cena and well all of them achieved such feats at the fag end of their careers. Rafa is just getting started!! He is only 25 and this is the first time in his life he has been faced with an opponent he can not overcome. Of course, Federer was a great rival but except one off victories in some Masters he never worried Rafa too much in his peak. A seven match losing streak is not only unprecedented for Rafa but confidence shattering too. However, how he manages to come back from it will define the person Rafa is; it will define his grit, determination and will to win. It will define if Rafa is champion material, if he has the mental strength to fight back and best the biggest challenge he has faced till date. Honestly for Rafa the setting could not have been better!! Monte Carlo is like his own backyard and he has not lost a single match in the last 7 years. No one not, even Djokovic can beat Rafa or match his game in Monute Carlo. What remains to be seen is whether or not Rafa gets haunted by Djok’s ghost. And who will want to bet against Rafa's mental agility. Not me at least!!
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