Nadal's shift from grass to hard courts has always been complicated

The last time we saw Rafael Nadal, he was confronting Roger Federer in the penultimate round of Wimbledon. The Spaniard had been on a spirited run into that highly anticipated clash, toppling a highly charged Nick Kyrgios in four riveting sets, concluding that contest with a pair of clutch tie-break triumphs. He then went convincingly through three matches without the loss of a set, leading many to believe he would beat Federer for the second time in their four Wimbledon head-to-head meetings. But Nadal was never himself during a bruising four-set defeat, and seldom have I seen him look more disconcerted in a big match. It was painfully evident how agitated he was with his substandard level of play.

But the 33-year-old is not only a hard-nosed realist; he is one of the most upbeat individuals the game has ever known. He leaves his losses swiftly behind him. He returns to competition tomorrow in Montreal at the Masters 1000 hard-court event, and the defending champion’s unbridled enthusiasm will be proudly showcased once more. He will not be dwelling on what went wrong at Wimbledon. As he commences his 2019 summertime hard-court campaign in Canada, he will proceed unflinchingly, the same way he always has in his sterling career.

Nadal will, of course, be looking to win as many matches as he can in both Montreal and in next week’s Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati. Montreal may well be his higher priority because, historically, the courts in Canada have been slower than those in Ohio, and better suited to the Spaniard’s game. He has won the Canadian Masters on four occasions—a record for him at Masters 1000 hard-court events—twice in Toronto and twice in Montreal. His mission this week is multi-faceted: to capture his 83rd career ATP title; to move past Novak Djokovic and take over the first place in the ATP rankings race; and to gain confidence for the upcoming US Open.

Rafael Nadal has won the Canadian Masters tournament four times: twice in Montreal, and twice in Toronto. (Getty Images)

The 18-time Grand Slam champion will not have to contend with either Novak Djokovic or Federer as he kicks off his hard-court campaign—they are playing only in Cincinnati prior to the US Open. That makes the Nadal the clear favorite to prevail in Montreal, although he could face a tough test as he plays his opener on Wednesday potentially against Alex de Minaur, the tournament victor in Atlanta. He could then meet No. 15 seed David Goffin in the round of 16; either No. 7 seed Fabio Fognini or No. 11 Borna Coric in the quarters; and perhaps No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals.

Dominic Thiem is the No. 2 seed, but 2017 Canada champion Alexander Zverev, 2018 Toronto semifinalist Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev are also on the opposite half of the draw. A final-round meeting between any of these players and Nadal would be enticing. But it will be no facile feat for Nadal to rule again in Canada; thus far this year, there have been five different champions at the Masters 1000 tournaments. The last time that happened leading into Canada was in 2003.

Any way you look at it, Nadal has an opportunity to put himself in very good stead over the coming days. It has been an odd year for him in many ways—this prolific achiever, who normally picks up a cluster of clay-court titles over the spring, took only two this time around. But the fact remains that he won the big prize at Roland Garros for the 12th time by playing his finest tennis of the season, garnering an 18th career major crown in the process. He stands only two Grand Slam titles behind Federer, but just two in front of the fast-charging Djokovic. That is why Wimbledon was so important, historically, to all three icons, and now they will all be primed for the US Open.

But Nadal must pace himself on his way to New York. A year ago, defeating Tsitsipas in the Toronto final was a nice boost to his morale, and he wisely elected not to play Cincinnati. But his US Open was fraught with too many laborious battles—he was taken to a fourth-set tie-break by Khachanov in the third round, extended to four arduous sets by Nikoloz Basilashvili in the round of 16, and stretched to his outermost limits by Thiem in the quarterfinals before succeeding in a fifth set tie-break.

Nadal has won plenty of big titles on hard courts, but his body has always been susceptible to the surface's uncompromising qualities. (Getty Images)

That string of draining skirmishes left Nadal physically compromised. Down two sets to love against Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals, he retired with a knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the 2018 season. Surely the 33-year-old does not want to find himself in the same predicament this year, but to some degree it is out of his control. He can’t cast aside rivals on hard courts as decisively as he does on the dirt. He will need to gauge how his body is responding at the end of the toughest transitional week of his season. In the last three years, he has managed to make the shift from clay to grass comfortably, but moving from the lawns to hard courts is always more complicated for the Spaniard.

Be that as it may, Nadal must be efficient in Canada. All things considered, despite not winning more titles this year, he has been a pillar of consistency. He was runner-up to Djokovic at the Australian Open, victorious at Roland Garros, and a semifinalist at Wimbledon. For the first time in his career, he has been at least a semifinalist in six consecutive Slams, dating back to Roland Garros in 2018.

It will be enjoyable to watch Nadal go back to work in Canada. He is a beloved individual, a professional through and through, and a revered sportsman. He is determined to hold onto his crown, eager as always to make his presence known on a consequential stage, and ready to play the game with a sparkle no one else in his trade can match. He is the central figure in Montreal, and the feeling grows that the Spaniard will be revitalized and perhaps unstoppable in a familiar setting where fans have long appreciated his flair, fundamental decency and originality.