SYDNEY – There will be upsets, there will be drama, there will be cheers and there will be tears, but most eyes at the Australian Open will be on whether Rafa Nadal can succeed where so many great players before him have failed. The world number one left Melbourne Park last year after retiring injured from his quarter-final against Andy Murray but returned this week with the Wimbledon, French and U.S. Open titles in his possession.
A second Australian Open title on Jan. 30 would make him only the third man to have held all four grand slam titles at one time, a feat beyond even the great Roger Federer. To date, at least. The era of the Swiss maestro is not over quite yet and Federer returns as defending champion in search of his fifth Australian Open title on the back of a spell of tremendous form at the end of last season and the start of this.
While second seed Federer appears in rude health, there are health concerns about Nadal, even if this year it is a flu virus, not his knees, that has disrupted his preparations.
The Spaniard has no doubt he will be on court next week for his first round match against Brazilian Marcos Daniel and like all great champions his focus is on winning tennis matches, not on the annals of the game. “My motivation is the Australian Open, that’s my motivation,” the top seed croaked to reporters in Melbourne on Friday. “Nothing bigger than this — not because last year I had an injury, not because I have the chance to win the fourth grand slam in a row. “For me the pressure is the same every tournament.
The pressure is my pressure. I want to play well, to do the right things and we will see.” Although Nadal and Federer have dominated the grand slams for the last few years — only two of the last 20 major titles have gone elsewhere – there are strong contenders waiting in the wings should either or both slip up.
Nadal flirts with greatness
