Nadal's year ends without a slam
While Roger Federer has somewhat reinvented himself, Rafael Nadal continues to plough the same dismal furrow.
|||New York - While Roger Federer has somewhat reinvented himself these past 18 months, Rafael Nadal continues to plough the same dismal furrow.
The Swiss has brought in fresh coaching - Stefan Edberg - successfully adapted to a new racket and changed his style to bring himself back to No 2 in the world at the age of 34.
Therein lies some hope for his longest-standing rival Nadal after his third-round US Open upset at the hands of the mercurial Italian Fabio Fognini.
The 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 defeat was the first time in 151 matches going back 10 years that Nadal has lost a match from being two sets up, and it is the first time since 2004 he will end the year without a Grand Slam title.
He has lost 15 times this season but when asked if a fresh coaching voice, or someone to help with his serve, might be useful as he heads towards his 30th birthday his reply has been that loyalty to his uncle Toni comes above everything.
There was not much in terms of insight from the Spaniard after his loss to Fognini: “The only thing that means is that I played worse than the last 10 years,” said Nadal of his barren Slam season. “I have to accept that was not my year and keep fighting. The good thing is I’m not playing terrible matches like I was at the beginning of the season. When I am losing it is because opponents beat me.”
Daily Mail