Rafael Nadal thought he did everything right in the offseason, but 2016 is starting off as wrong as 2015 went.
The world's No. 5 player suffered a stunning, first-round upset in the Australian Open at the hands of fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4) 6-2. It was Nadal's first ever first-round exit Down Under.
Rafael Nadal Declares 'There Is No Hurry To Win'
And the player whose confidence was his primary nemesis in 2015, likely became that much shakier as he tries to regroup and return to his spot among tennis' elite, which includes the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.
A turnaround that appeared improbable at the start of the year now seems impossible for Rafa.
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"The match is a tough one to lose for me obviously," Nadal told reporters, according to CNN. "I have been playing and practicing great and working so much. It is tough when you work so much and arrived at a very important event and you're going out too early. I know I did everything that I could to be ready for it. It was not my day. There is no more things to do other than keep practicing hard and keep practicing the same way that I have been doing for the past four, five months."
And that's what makes Nadal's hopes of challenging the likes of Djokovic so unlikely. Rafa thought his confidence had returned. He thought he was practicing well. And he still wilted in the fifth set against a player who beat him for only the third time in 17 meetings.
"I don't know a hundred percent the reason," Nadal said of his inability to close out matches he once was masterful at doing to Tennis.com. "In terms of being competitive, I was competitive. In terms of creating damage to the opponent with my forehand, I didn't. I was hitting forehands, and he was able to keep hitting winners."
Nadal's intimidation factor certainly has vanished. He had a 2-0 lead in the fifth set with a break point to go up 3-0, only to lose the final six games of the match.
Ferdasco decided to get aggressive in his match against Nadal, Tennis.com reported, and made Nadal pay. Ferdasco had 90 winners and 91 unforced errors against Nadal, who couldn't make his fellow Spaniard pay for his aggression.
In years past, that would be a tactic of desperation. Now it's simply a calculated risk.
And Nadal has no answers.
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