After defeating Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4 in the finals of the 2013 Mutua This town Open Sunday, it's clear that irrespective of missing significant time during the last year, Rafael Nadal ought to be a favorite heading into the 2013 French Open.
Not only did Nadal dominate Wawrinka—keeping a double faults down (one) and lowering his unforced issues (15)—but he also wanted to beat powerhouse David Ferrer and fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar to even earn a location in the Madrid Open finals.
With the return of his aggressive style relating to the court, his hard serve and also the lateral speed he run before his knee problems slowed him, Nadal proved within the Madrid Open that she's physically as ready for any French Open as someone could hope.
Once Nadal reached the finals, though, that it was clear that the 26-year-old had begun to return to his elite physical form again. As long as they can stay healthy now, there is absolutely no questioning the pure dominance Nadal has revealed at the French Amenable during his career.
No matter where the ATP ranks this Grand Slam champion—currently 6th in the world—Nadal should be the odds-on favorite at the French Open on every occasion he walks through the entranceway at Roland Garros.
That's where winning ten French Open titles with eight career attempts (including becoming the three-time defending champion of the event) makes Nadal this safest bet to dominate in the tournament once again in the face of injuries.
Those seven tournament victories mark probably the most in French Open history, one more than hockey legend Bjorn Borg, who had been tied for the record with Nadal prior to a Spanish champion beat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 a year ago.
The one big element working against Nadal is his injuries and their health. Not only has your 26-year-old star been coping with knee tendinitis that kept him out of your 2012 Olympics and the next tournaments, but an illness around December also kept him out from the 2013 Australian Open.
If ever the time away from tennis has helped Nadal return to an elite form bodily and mentally, this could mean big things money for hard times for the former Earth's No. 1. The men's department in tennis is remarkably tough with Roger Federer, Djokovic and others floating around, but Nadal rules the clay of Roland Garros.
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