“If you had told Rafa at the start of the year that he would win one Grand Slam, he’d say, ‘O.K., a good year,’” said Brad Gilbert, a former world No. 4 and now an ESPN analyst. “You tell him he wins two Slams, he pushes the chips all in. He’s had a great year so far.”
Nadal typically does not perform well late in the season, if he plays at all. His career record on indoor courts going into the ATP Finals is 82-37 as compared with 888-159 outdoors. He has won 82 career titles outdoors and only two indoors.
This year, entering the ATP Finals, he had played just four indoor matches, a win over Milos Raonic at the Laver Cup and three in Paris. He also took time off to marry his longtime girlfriend, Xisca Perelló, in October.
In all, Nadal has played just 12 tournaments this season. Only once, in Acapulco in February, did he lose before the semifinals. But, as too often happens with him, his body failed him, forcing him to pull out of Indian Wells and Miami.
He also quit after his second match at the Laver Cup in September. In all, Nadal pulled out of seven tournaments this year because of an assortment of ailments.
Despite his five-week layoff following the U.S. Open and Laver Cup, Nadal seemed fresh and content when he arrived in Paris. He had played an exhibition with Djokovic in Kazakhstan the previous week and then held a friendly practice session with him in Paris. A week later, Nadal ended Djokovic’s hold on the No. 1 ranking.
If Nadal is unable to compete in London, Djokovic must reach the final by going undefeated in his three round-robin matches or lose a round robin but still win the title. If Nadal plays, he could clinch No. 1 by winning his three round-robin matches. That may not be so easy given the caliber of the field.
Source : NYtimes
