Tennis world english n 45 Tennis World english 45 | Page 10

In the final set
Keeping a cool head in the final set of a match is a major test of mental strength and
self-confidence. With Nadalʼs struggles over the past few seasons, he has struggled
to assert himself when a match went the distance. But in 2017 this, too, has changed.
At the Australian Open, he won two out of his three matches that went to five sets,
and very nearly won the final as well. In other events, he has won five matches that
went to five sets, and lost just two. In Masters 1000, his record is even more
impressive, having won all his three-set matches (against Philipp Kohlschreiber in
Miami, Kyle Edmund at Monte-Carlo and Fabio Fognini in Madrid).
With numbers like these, and with Federer taking an extended holiday, the Tour
seems to be Nadalʼs playground. It appears unlikely that anyone will be able to
challenge him at the French Open, and with him already leading the Race to London
rankings, there is every possibility that he will further extend that lead and end the
year as world number one. That is definitely not a position that anyone envisioned for
him as recently as a few weeks ago.