Rafael Nadal's feats of clay are getting fewer and far between. And his "King of Clay" moniker is in jeopardy.
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic overcome drama to reach Italian Open final
Second-ranked Novak Djokovic sent the No. 1 player to his third defeat on clay this year with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in the final of the Italian Open on Sunday.
It was Nadal's third defeat on clay this year - the first time he has lost three matches on his favorite surface since 2004. Had it not been for a back injury that forced Kei Nishikori to withdraw in the third set of the Madrid Open final last week, Nadal could have been entering next week's French Open without a title on clay in preparation and four losses on the surface.
Nadal will seek to extend his record of French Open titles to nine when play begins at Roland Garros next Sunday. But he comes into the tournament with more question marks than he's had in several years.
Rafael Nadal will face his biggest foe, his confidence, on multiple occasions in the French Open
Nadal admitted that his five-set loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the Australian Open final damaged his confidence, even though Nadal also was playing through a back injury.
But Nadal has lost to David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro on clay - not exactly household names at the top of the tennis rankings. And while the loss to Djokovic is not alarming in itself, the fact that Nole has won four straight against Rafa adds to the concern.
In Rome this week, Nadal struggled through three-set victories over Gilles Simon and Mikhail Youzhny, before raising his game in another three-set victory over Andy Murray.
Tennis.SI.com reported that Nadal said the long matches took its tool against Djokovic after Nadal raced out to a 5-1 lead in the first set.
"My legs didn't answer after a tough week, not (good enough) to arrive and to produce the power and to hit the ball longer so I let him play in positive positions," Nadal said." A lot of times when he had the first ball good, for me it was very difficult to arrive to the ball and to change the dynamic of the point. In general I can do a little bit better. But in general I am very proud about this week."
Also, Djokovic was motivated by his quest to educate the world about the flooding - three months' worth of rain in three days, according to ESPN.com - that has ravaged his home country of Serbia, killing 25 and leaving tens of thousands of Serbs without electricity.
But it's likely Djokovic won't have that added incentive for two weeks at Roland Garros. Still, only Nadal knows whether it was his fatigue that cost him the match against Djokovic in Rome and can overcome that if they meet in Paris.
But Nadal knows he has to play the early rounds at the French Open than he did in Rome. If he cannot, then he'll be in the same boat.
All the questions coming into Paris suggest Nadal's ninth French Open crown may not come this season.
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