It's a testament to Rafael Nadal's Roland Garros dominance that nearly a week after his quarterfinal loss at the French Open, he's still being asked about it.
Tennis.com reported that Nadal, who lost for just the second time in 72 matches at Roland Garros when No. 1 Novak Djokovic beat him in four sets in the quarterfinals, was asked about that loss.
Billie Jean King chastises Rafael Nadal for negative thinking
"It's not the time to think about it today. It's time to think about practice," he told the ATP.
Because Nadal exited the French Open early, he was able to arrive at Stuttgart earlier for a grass tournament warmup in advance of Wimbledon. ATP scheduler also put an extra week between the French Open and Wimbled to give all players more time to adapt to the faster surface.
Rafael Nadal vows to return to excellence after French Open quarters loss to Novak Djokovic
Could the extra preparation on grass be the impetus for Nadal, currently down to No. 10 in the world, to rediscover his game and turn his fortunes around during the second half of the season?
"I just have to improve my level of tennis, my intensity on the court. If I can do that, then I am confident I can get back to the highest level."
Nadal's comment should meet the approval of Billie Jean King, who earlier recommended that Nadal not talk about his lack of confidence but instead focus on the positive aspects of his game.
It's been five years since Nadal has won a Wimbledon title. His physical health, however, is not an issue as he got a jump on the grass court season by playing a doubles match with compatriot Feliciano Lopez at the Mercedes Cup. The two advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Rameez Junaid and Adil Shamasdin.
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