What Should You Expect From the Big Four in 2017?

The Spaniard who keeps coming back for more

Rafael Nadal has finally made changes to his coaching squad – in the form of Carlos Moya

In a video released by the ATP some time ago, the Association polled players on tour, asking who they thought was the most competitive and most hard working player of all. The majority of players took one name – Rafa Nadal.

The Spanish bull has been one of the most revered and yet, feared players on tour for a long time. The sight of his strong arms hitting those heavy top spin forehands can intimidate even the greatest of players. In the recent past, however, Nadal has been a shadow of his former self, plagued by old and new injuries. His strong results, which were earlier consistent, have become few and far between.

2017 is a crucial year for Nadal as he enters the troubled 30 and above age group. Many have predicted that this year might as well be his last year on tour. Although I don’t agree with this, I do believe that the year will play an integral role in deciding how long Rafa will play competitive tennis.

The Spaniard has made one big change he had never before made in his life; adding a new coach in his team. At the end of 2016, Nadal announced that he has added to his team former world number 1, Carlos Moya.

This is an excellent decision as the team needed a fresh voice and with Moya being a longtime friend of the Nadal family, this partnership seems ideal for the Rafa camp. Moya will join Nadal’s longterm coach, uncle Toni Nadal.

Rafa had an ideal start to the season as he won the Mubadala title for the fourth time in his career in December 2016. Dispatching his opponents in style, the Spaniard looked in great touch then, despite it being an exhibition tournament.

At the Brisbane Open, however, Nadal looked tired in his first round match against Alexandr Dolgopolov. Managing to get the win to progress to the second round, h won his second round match with ease and set up a quarter finals clash with the number 1 seed Milos Raonic. The Canadian came out as the winner after three competitive sets of tennis that saw Nadal not fully in form, but fighting to get there.

This is what Nadal said after his loss to Raonic:

“It’s important to win a lot of matches, of course, but at the same time it’s important to lose with just a small difference (between the opponents). That’s what happened. The result was so close, and that’s positive. It means my mind was ready to keep fighting until the end, and that’s what I did.’’

Winning five of his six matches this season, the Spaniard will enter the Australian Open with the right mindset. Though, there are still questions regarding his ability to keep up his game for five grueling sets of tennis, you can never count him out.