2015 has been torrid for Rafael Nadal thus far.
If a couple of tournaments are barred, he has had it quite tough right through the ongoing season whether you talk about form or fitness.
He has just not looked to be a man who has 14 Slams in his kitty.
For the first time in about a decade, he has slipped outside top 5 in the world rankings.
But, Nadal is looking to make sure he winds up with some success towards the end of the season.
Nadal is presently in Cincinnati to take part in the Western & Southern Open.
He is pretty eager to have a good time there so that he moves to Flushing Meadows with some confidence under his belt.
Speaking to the reporters yesterday, Nadal said, “It’s not one of the most successful seasons that I have had in my career, but, I think the last few tournaments, I have done alright and it would be really nice if I manage to sign off with some more good performances.”
Nadal is not in the top bracket as far as the favourites for the coming US Open are concerned, but, if somebody is completely counting him out, he is doing that at his own peril because the genius of the game that the Spaniard is, he can pull the rabbit out of the bag at any time and he has shown that in the past.
Who had expected him to have the kind of season that he had in 2013 returning from such a long layoff?
So, he is capable to surprise people and you don’t win 14 Grand Slams for no reason.
Some of Nadal’s closest rivals would know that and they would be quite wary.