With his mental game betraying him as of late, former world’s no.1 and 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal enters the clay-court season, facing massive pressure to hold his ground from his rivals and a slew of upstarts looking to dethrone from his seat.
For the first time in 10 years, Nadal’s status as King of Clay is under serious threat largely because of his performance at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters, where he was booted out in the early rounds by opponents he usually dominated.
Nadal admitted that his struggle to cope up with his nerve problems made him realize that he’s not the favorite heading into the clay-court season, adding that he’s playing a level below his rivals. However, the Spaniard stressed that he’s not feeling any pressure at all because he just sets a minimal goal in these tournaments.
“I don’t have pressure this year,” Nadal told press via ATP News before he guns for his 9th Monte Carlo Masters title. “I’m not the favourite for anything. I have been playing worse than the rest of the rivals of mine. The pressure is not for me… I am arriving here with the motivation to do something better than what I am doing.”
Despite his current ordeal, Nadal is still optimistic that he will eventually get over the hump and return to his old dominant self.
“I am working to be playing well as soon as possible, and if I didn't believe that I could, I would not be here... If I am here it’s because I have the motivation, the passion, the emotion to keep playing tennis.”
The 28-year old Nadal is scheduled to begin his Monte Carlo Masters campaign against wild-card entry Lucas Pouille on Wednesday.