Rafael Nadal Steers Clear of Expectations Ahead of Italian Open 2022, Says ‘I Am Happy Doing What I Am Doing’

35-year-old Spanish tennis star, Rafael Nadal, has had a great hard-court season this year. After winning 20 consecutive matches in 2022, he suffered a shocking loss against Taylor Fritz at the Indian Wells final. His unfortunate rib injury halted his preparation for the clay-court season. As a result, he missed quite a few tournaments, including the Monte Carlo Masters. As he’s preparing for the Italian Open, Rafa talked about playing for happiness rather than any personal motivation. 

Rafael Nadal talked about playing well when he’s healthy

At a recent press conference, 21-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal opened up about playing competitive tennis despite his age and injuries. Also, there’s a slight change in his attitude, as he talked about playing for his happiness more than anything. He said, “I don’t play anymore for things outside of my happiness and my personal motivation. I am happy doing what I am doing. I still feel myself competitive when I am healthy enough.”

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Recently, Rafa returned to the Madrid Open for the first time in this clay-court season. In earlier rounds, he showed his clay-court prowess as he was cruising past his opponents. However, his run came to an end at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final. Despite the loss, he felt positive about his game and the French Open. Undoubtedly, he’s still the best player on red soil and will be one of the favorites again, to win at Roland Garros. 

Nadal could face a tough opponent in his first match at the Italian Open

Tomorrow, Rafael Nadal will start his campaign at the Rome Masters. In the round of 32, he could face the big-serving American, John Isner, if he wins his match against the Argentine, Francisco Cerundolo. Big servers, like Isner, always bothered Rafa and gave him a tough fight in the past. 

Meanwhile, Rafa will be vying for his 11th Rome title, as he has won this tournament 10 times before. Last year, he beat Novak Djokovic in a fantastic final, which lasted three sets. This year, Djokovic is also there as the no.1 seed and could potentially clash with Nadal in the quarter-final. 

Can Nadal win back-to-back Italian Open? Let us know in the comments. 

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