Rafael Nadal is currently sitting on the sidelines, recovering from a grade two tear to his iliopsoas muscle, and former No.1 Mats Wilander has spoken of what he believes the Spaniard should work on when he returns.
Nadal picked up the injury in a second round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open, and is expected to return for the clay season in preparation for a 15th Roland Garros title bid.
Wilander, who won the clay major on three occasions, spoke of how Nadal has had to adapt over the years, “The game is moving in a direction that is becoming faster and faster all the time.”
He continued, “And I think you see with Rafa Nadal that he’s been changing his game as much as he can, but you still have to be able to get to the ball in time to make all these changes, to hit the slice backhand, to come to the net a little bit more.”
“He’s going to obviously become slower and slower because of age, but also if you can’t practise all the time, you do lose some speed.”
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The Swede still backed Nadal’s game to be as strong as ever, but questioned whether his movement would be able to keep up, “I think the last thing that would ever go away from Rafael Nadal’s game is his actual game. I think hitting the ball, he’s getting better, he’s getting more creative.”
“But in terms of the physical part of moving, I think, yes, he’s going to get slower because he’s not able to train as much all the time and he’s getting older.”
Wilander added, “So there comes a point when there’s a limit to how much you can do with a tennis ball without being able to move around at close to 100%. And I think that’s going to be his biggest enemy.”
Nadal has been inside the ATP top 10 since 2005, but this latest injury means that the Spaniard will fall outside for the first time in 18 years after Indian Wells.
