ATP Masters Paris-Bercy: Rafael Nadal ahead of indoor season - "I feel better prepared on this surface than before"
Rafael Nadal is considered the top favorite for the title at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris-Bercy - and sent a little challenge to the competition before his opening match.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit:
Nov 04, 2020, 03:23 pm
Rafael Nadal cannot be really satisfied with his previous results at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris-Bercy and at the ATP Finals. The Spaniard, who is so spoiled for success, has not yet won a tournament at either tournament, but everything should be different in 2020. Because the world number two will start in the French and British capital - unlike in many other seasons - with full tanks.
"I feel better prepared on this surface than before," emphasized Nadal before the start of the tournament. There are two main reasons for this: "My legs are not as heavy as in the past and my game has developed well recently." In the previous seasons, however, the 34-year-old mostly went into the indoor season very exhausted.
"I will play this tournament under better conditions than in the past", stated Nadal. Nevertheless, the second in the world rankings emphasized that indoor hard court was probably the most difficult of all surfaces for him: "That is probably the surface on which I have to play best in order to be successful."
Nadal opens against Lopez
Last year Nadal withdrew shortly before the start of the semi-final against Denis Shapovalov due to an abdominal muscle injury. But the Mallorcan has no worries about the bad luck with injuries that haunted the 20-time Grand Slam winner in Paris-Bercy several times during his career .
No fear, but at least Nadal should have respect for his second round opponent. Feliciano Lopez won in the first round in a 7: 6 (11) and 6: 1 victory over Filip Krajinovic all 34 points played after his own first serve and also won the two most recent duels of the two (Cincinnati 2015 and Shanghai 2014). Accordingly, Nadal should ideally follow up his challenge with deeds right from the start.
The single tableau in Paris-Bercy
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