Although Rafael Nadal proved the majority of people’s predictions right yesterday by beating Kevin Anderson to claim the US Open title it can’t be overstated how much of a rejuvenation the Spaniard has enjoyed in 2017.
After claiming a 10th French Open crown earlier this year and narrowly missing out against Roger Federer at the Australian Open the contrast in success compared with previous seasons is staggering.
The transformation to regain the form, which saw him become one of the sport’s modern greats, began when he took the intelligent decision to take time out and allow a wrist injury to properly heal last year.
The 31-year-old has always had an enormous passion for the game which has sometimes been his Achilles heel. Deciding to play with an injured wrist during the 2016 Olympics proved a costly risk as the problem got worse.
Despite Nadal unable to finish the season the time away from the court would begin to pay dividends come early 2017 in Melbourne.
After despatching off the likes of Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov along the way, his old nemesis Federer was the man who stood in the way of a 15th Grand Slam title.
The Swiss had also been out on the side lines for a considerable amount of time prior to the tournament so there were questions mark of potential ring rust about both players.
However spectators at the Rod Laver Arena would argue there wasn’t a single piece of evidence to prove that theory as there were flashes of brilliance from both players across a pulsating five-set encounter.
Ultimately it was Federer who secured the prize at the end but the way Nadal had constantly asked questions from start to finish and showcased a real mental toughness left many critics pleasantly surprised.
Nadal has always been dubbed ‘The King of Clay’ which is quite an appropriate title considering the fact he has won 10 out of a possible 13 French Open crowns.
However that trait was called into question following disappointing campaigns two years in a row at Roland Garros where he failed to make it beyond the quarter-finals.
After the impressive showing in Australia this year’s French Open served as a key test for Nadal to see how much he had returned to the height of his powers.
The way in which he was known for conjuring up fantastic defence from all areas of the court and playing with great agility and power were evident once more, beating Stan Wawrinka in the final.
The plaudits were even more substantiated after the manner in which Nadal achieved a maiden Slam success of 2017, not conceding a single set the entire tournament.
Despite a host of key rivals, including Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, not being present in New York it was hard not to marvel once again as Nadal demonstrated a ruthless efficiency, eventually removing Anderson in straight sets.
There were still sizeable challenges along the way, including a resurgent Juan Martin Del Potro, fresh from beating Federer, but the Spaniard’s desire and willpower to reach the finish line proved a dangerous weapon for his opponents.
After claiming two Slams in a single season for the first time in four years there is a strong possibility Nadal could achieve more success at major tournaments in the near future.
Age is a factor which is firmly on his side if you look at how Federer’s career has transpired but perhaps more crucially is the current state of his major adversaries.
With Djokovic, Murray and Wawrinka only set to return to action in time for next year’s Australian Open the current world number one has the potential to open up a sizeable chasm in terms of match sharpness.
A break away could of course do the aforementioned trio a world of good, translating into tournament success, but Nadal has a new found momentum which will undoubtedly take some stopping.
Federer is currently three Grand Slam titles ahead of Nadal but at this current moment in time it would seem foolish to rule out the Spaniard moving out in front and reaffirming his place in the history books.
