G’day from Roma,
It’s so good to be back in Italy working with the Italian Federation. The Rome Masters 1000 starts in three days, and all eyes are on Rafael Nadal as he probably competes in his last tournament here in the Italian capital.
Rafa (37yo) practiced from 11.00 am-12.00 pm this morning with 24-year-old Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild. I watched the whole practice and have these five takeaways to share with you.
1: The Forehand
This has always been Rafa’s signature shot, and for an hour, I had my finger on the pulse of every single one he hit.
When He Hit It Well
When Rafa hit it well, it was like the good old days. The ball sounded like a cannon off the strings, and the spin on the ball was other-worldly. He hit it with peak velocity, and the power dominated the shot until the ball reached the service line on the other side of the court, which then dipped viciously deep into the court. Power first. Spin second. Gasps from the sizeable crowd, third. It’s been quite a while since I have seen Rafa play live on clay, and it was a great reminder that there has never been a shot on this surface as devastating as Rafa’s forehand.
When He Didn’t Hit It Well
This happened more often than usual, but Rafa won’t play his opening round for 3-5 days, so it doesn’t have to be firing on all cylinders today (even though that would be nice). Rafa looked like he had lost 1/2 a step to the ball in his preparation (which is entirely understandable and expected). I am sure that will improve as he hones his game in Roma. Remember, Rafa is coming off four matches played in Madrid, so the chances he is a little sore and not wanting to move at 100% are real. Nevertheless, his forehand sprayed more today than he wanted. He looked late at times, getting his hands and feet organized, and things tended to get a little loose in the backswing.
Overall
This shot needs improvement. To his defense, this was just Sunday practice, and he is coming off winning three matches in Madrid at altitude. He doesn’t need to be sensational today, but it has to tighten up if he wants to win three matches in Roma.
2: The Serve
This shot was okay. Not great. Not bad. It looked like he was holding back for some reason. It’s almost like he either had an injury he was protecting or not going full blast, which might facilitate an injury. NOTE: I am not saying he is injured at all!!!!
Most of the time, he rolled his first and second serves in and didn’t enjoy the offense he typically thrives on dominating with Serve +1 forehands. There was no active speed gun, so I couldn’t tell how fast he was hitting it, but it was not a practice he wanted to go after or test.
I really liked how well he controlled his toss and how straight it was. He also did an outstanding job of keeping his right arm up high for as long as possible, which really promoted a high point of contact—there is a lot to learn and copy for amateur players.
Improve Your Baseline Game!
Webinar 22: Run-Around Forehands
Webinar 26: ABCD Baseline Locations
Webinar 23: Point Score Strategy
3: The Backhand
It’s rock solid, as usual. This is the shot he has depended on his entire career, and he knows that he will put the ball in the court in his sleep with his shield (backhand). His slice and defense were good, and he even popped it now and then, particularly cross court. If Rafa is not at his typical excellent best, opponents will likely go after his backhand with their offensive shots. His backhand is going to keep him in every point he plays.
4: Movement
This is all about footwork, balance, speed, and agility. Remember, Rafa is 37 years old and had only played five matches leading into Madrid in 2024. I don’t think it’s fair to him to compare his movement to his prime. We can compare his movement to that of other 37-year-old players and understand that he is doing just fine in that data set.
Saying he has lost a step seems harsh, but saying he has lost half a step seems fair. More than usual, he is a little late to the ball. You can see it as he tries to get his hands and feet organized, , and you can also see it as he is a little late with contact – making the forehand bleed left. The more matches he plays, the more this will naturally sharpen up.
5: Playing Points
They probably got through a set, and I am not sure what the score was, but if I had to guess, Seyboth Wild won 6-1 or 6-2. Rafa struggled at times to put the ball in the court and at other times looked like the Rafa of old. It was a mix of the old glimpses of Rafa and the new reality of trying to come back after taking a year off and now enjoying being injury-free once again.
Rafa’s mannerisms were the same. His thirst to control the time things happened in points was the same. His hunger to generate run-around forehands was the same, and his spectacular defensive skills were the same.
But he is not the same.
He is not prime-time Rafa – at the moment.
If there is one thing we have all learned about Rafa from his illustrious career, he is at his best when his back is against the wall. In an ideal world, he wins at least two matches here, maybe three, and then he takes a “good” loss to prevent his tired body from picking up another injury before Roland Garros and the Olympics at Roland Garros later this year. An injury in Rome would be devastating.
Rafa has won Rome a record ten times. There won’t be an eleventh; everyone must be okay with that. Going too deep in this tournament carries too many risks.
Madrid was ideal. He will manage expectations in Rome in the same way.
And then all bets are off in Paris.
That’s what he is building towards. That’s what gets him out of bed in the morning. That’s where he leaves it all on the line. That’s where unbridled passion and the familiarity of French clay will kick into overdrive.
That’s all that matters. The rest is noise.