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Boris Becker believes that Rafael Nadal’s shock five-set defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas on the Australian Open might have dented the Mallorcan’s confidence ranges for the 2021 French Open.
Becker is a six-time Slam champion who gained all of the Majors barring the French Open, the place he by no means made it previous the semifinals. Since retirement the German has taken on varied roles, together with that of Novak Djokovic’s coach, and now operates as an skilled for a number of publications.
In a recent conversation, Becker delved deeper into Rafael Nadal’s loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas. Nadal failed to close out the match despite having a two sets to love lead, which is simply the third such occasion within the Spaniard’s profession.
Becker claimed that Nadal will likely be mentally affected by this defeat, and that he might battle to recover from it in time for the French Open.
“His five-set defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas will sting for a while, and will even be an element on the French Open,” Becker mentioned.
In response to the German, Rafael Nadal’s defeat uncovered some chinks within the Spaniard’s armor that could possibly be exploited at Roland Garros.
“There was undoubtedly some vulnerability in Nadal if we expect ahead to Paris,” Becker added.
Boris Becker claimed that Rafael Nadal regarded like a spent drive within the fifth set in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas, finally getting outlasted by his youthful opponent. The German additionally identified that Nadal’s play type requires an immense quantity of bodily exertion, which may come again to hang-out the Spaniard.
“For the primary time I can recall Rafael Nadal regarded actually drained in that fifth set, he was crushed bodily, and the others could have seen that,” Becker mentioned. “The Spaniard’s type is so bodily that it’ll take a toll. I’m really stunned that he has performed to this extremely excessive stage for thus lengthy.”
Boris Becker acknowledged that it will be unwise to get in opposition to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros given his impeccable document there. However he adopted that by sounding a phrase of warning about Nadal’s age, which he believes could possibly be catching as much as him.
“Whereas it will be silly to wager in opposition to him for Paris, when he will get that little step slower he won’t be the identical participant,” Becker concluded.
What’s Rafael Nadal’s schedule main as much as the French Open this 12 months?
Over the subsequent couple of months Rafael Nadal could have loads of alternatives to shake off his Melbourne disappointment. He has entered the Rotterdam and Miami occasions scheduled in March, earlier than turning his consideration to the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open in April.
In 2020, the French Open came about in the direction of the top of the 12 months (September-October) as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. However this 12 months the clay-court Main is anticipated to be performed in its standard slot – the top of Could.
The month of Could may also see Rafael Nadal collaborating within the Madrid Open and the Rome Masters.
Whereas the Madrid occasion was referred to as off final 12 months, the Rome one was shifted to September. That was, in actual fact, the event the place Rafael Nadal made his comeback to the tour after the resumption; the Spaniard ended up dropping within the quarterfinals to Diego Schwartzman.
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