Although the tennis circuit currently mostly uses hard courts, Rafael Nadal has a strong emotional and cerebral connection to the clay surface.
This point in the season has been associated with one man for the better part of two decades: Rafael Nadal, who has frightened and outplayed his opponents. The man known as El Matador was the most formidable opponent to have ever faced on clay.
Of the 92 career trophies that the famous Spaniard has won, 63 came from playing on clay courts. Between April 2005 and May 2007, he won 81 straight matches on the dirt, which is the greatest winning streak on a single surface in the Open Era.
But for Nadal, 2024 is unlike any other year. He was a claycourt machine for over twenty years, but injuries have returned him to a human being. Nadal had not missed a French Open since making his debut in 2005, until last year.
Furthermore, it’s unknown how much of this season he’ll play both before and after Roland Garros. Positively, though, he is not limited by any illnesses when using the clay swing.
Nadal gave his supporters a preview of what to expect from him starting next month by uploading a selfie of himself kicking the dust off his shoes in a gesture typical of playing claycourt tennis, following his withdrawal from Indian Wells and his absence from the Miami Open.
He’s resolved to savor the claycourt season for one more time, and his next top priority will be the Monte Carlo Masters, which kicks up on April 7.
