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Rafael Nadal has had a relatively stress-free campaign at the 2022 Australian Open. The Spaniard beat Marcos Giron and Yannick Hanfmann in convincing fashion at the start of the week to book his place in the third round at this year's Happy Slam.
The 20-time Major winner has been ironing out the kinks in his game this week in Melbourne and has even let his fans in on his progress, going by his recent Instagram activity.
Nadal took to social media earlier on Thursday to post three snapshots of his signature lasso-whip forehand. The Spaniard suggested in his caption that he was open to suggestions about his shot mechanics, asking fans to pick the forehand action that they felt was the best.
In the first photo, the Spaniard can be seen playing his forehand like he normally does, with his racquet flailing way above his head. In the second photo, however, his swing is more compact and ends just in front of his head.
In the final photo, Nadal ditches his low-to-high forehand swing and can be seen driving through with a flat forehand shot. The Spaniard perhaps resorted to this swing to make sure his shot came off with much more power.
The Spaniard also uploaded a reel of his disguised forehand earlier on Wednesday, asking his fans to guess where the ball was going once it made contact with his racquet.
Rafael Nadal looking to win his first Australian Open title since 2009
Nadal, who is going for a record-breaking 21st Major title in Melbourne, has been in his element since making his return to competitive tennis earlier this year. The Spaniard was out of commission for nearly six months in 2021 due to a foot injury, but showed no signs of physical discomfort as he triumphed at an ATP 250 event in Melbourne without dropping a single set.
Nadal has now shifted his focus to the Australian Open, where he is chasing his first title since 2009. The 35-year-old appears to have fully ironed out the kinks in his game during his recovery period last year and will be very eager to challenge for the 2022 title in Melbourne.
The 20-time Major winner is scheduled to face 28th-seeded Karen Khachanov next - a player he doesn't particularly enjoy playing against because the Russian usually gives him a run for his money. Having said that, the Spaniard has come out on top in all seven of his ATP tour encounters with the big-hitting Russian so far.
If Nadal passes the Khachanov test, he will most likely meet 19th-seeded Aslan Karatsev for a place in the last eight at this year's Australian Open.
Also check out: Complete Australian Open 2022 results
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
