Three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport believes that a confident Rafael Nadal has a chance of winning the Australian Open. Nadal, 36, began his 2023 season with back-to-back United Cup losses. But Nadal was not bothered by injuries and he later said that he was still happy with his preparation and his form.
With Nadal clearly fit and healthy, Davenport believes that the key for Nadal at the Australian Open could be to get through the first week. If Nadal makes it to the second week and builds his confidence levels, Davenport believes he would certainly be a strong title contender.
“I think he needs a good first week to really give him that kind of extra push and confidence going into week two. We all know that he can do it, right? We all know that he has the ability. It seems that he is physically better, he does not have the problem of the abs.
Let’s hope he continues like this. His foot seems fine. I think he needs a couple of games where he plays really well early on in Melbourne, he doesn’t get too fatigued, he doesn’t get injured, he gets confident. If he’s able to go into the second week with that confidence, then watch out.
Everybody knows that,” Davenport said on Tennis Channel. After missing almost the entire second half of the 2021 season due to a foot injury, Nadal didn’t have much of a chance to win the 2022 Australian Open.
Nadal doesn’t want to give up
Patrick McEnroe believes that Rafael Nadal is not entirely truthful about his tennis ambitions, given his immense love for winning.
“I know that Rafa likes to say that he doesn’t care about Novak’s numbers or Roger’s numbers, but I’m not sure, as much as I love Rafael Nadal, that I totally believe him on that,” McEnroe stated. “Because yes, he’s always amazed me with his ability to play for the love of the game.
There’s no doubt about it, and the competition. But let’s be honest, the guy loves to win,” he explained. “He’s (Rafael Nadal) not going to go to the French Open or anywhere if he thinks he can’t win and he…knows that if he goes to the French or even Australia, the US Open, Wimbledon is obviously his toughest one, that there’s very few guys that can beat Novak Djokovic if Novak Djokovic is at his best, but he’s one of the guys that can, certainly on clay and even on a medium-paced hard court, he can,” the American said.
