To be honest, I've been thinking that for a very long while now. And I'm not the only one it seems.
It was with some despondency that I read some of Rafa's quotes last week, particularly this one ...
"... because probably I was little bit less passion for the game probably because I was a little bit more tired than usual."
Its tough to hear someone you've admired for years speaking about their loss of passion, because that's one of the very things that I've always admired Rafa for. But it seems his words have had some resonance and in Spain this week, he's been playing it down by saying ...
"This has been a tough season for me. I'm not lacking passion. What I'm suffering is weariness from many years of playing at this level, week after week."
So what's the truth? Probably a bit of both, but check out this link that also discusses the subject. Well, I say discusses, but if I'm being honest, a lot of it is repeating what Rafa said in that press conference. Something you see time and again, but that's Rafa ... he speaks from the heart in those things, he's always honest and his sentences do read like an interview.
So what do I think? Well ... firstly, forgive me, but references about other people in mundane jobs who have to lift themselves, well ... its not apples with apples, is it? We're talking about an elite sportsman here. Someone who has a will and a drive (normally) that I can only dream about, and that's why we admire them so much. This abject desire to be the best, the dedication, to fine tune themselves to be at an absolute peak at the right time to be in the "perfect conditions" that Rafa speaks often about. But with that, there has to be some joy ... some raison d'etre for doing it, and that's the singular most upsetting thing for me this year ... to see the joy lacking from Rafa and his game.
I think it became prevalent from the start of the clay court season. Rafa was winning, but he just wasn't "on". That joy I'm talking about just wasn't there, and as the clay season progressed, it just seemed to get worse; from mediocre wins to painful losses and a first week in the French Open that had us worried for our lives and with Rafa speaking as if he felt 100 years old. So where did it all start?
This may be off the wall, but isn't being a sports star a little bit like being manic?? What I mean is that for the top guys you can go from the absolute highs to the absolute lows in a matter of a week. We can't imagine what that high must feel like of winning a major trophy like a Slam. All that work, all that preparation, 7 matches over a sustained period of 2 weeks playing over 5 sets. And then to win at the end of it ... wow, it must be unbelievable. But then the next time round, you may lose, and then its dealing with abject disappointment. But as Rafa says, the "looses" make the wins feel better. But then how do you cope when you're building yourself up to go for a Grand Slam, and then your body lets you down and you lose? And when you come back and throw the kitchen sink at your opponent (particularly in Miami), to then lose in a TB by a fraction of points, how do you handle it?
And you take this loss in your head to the next matches, and then when you find yourself losing again ... more manic lows. But the French Open reminded him what it was like to win again, but what a painful low to get there. Followed by another low and another one and then you feel you've played the best set of tennis in ages, to then lose the match and by a bagel in the final set. Time to take a break.
I don't blame him if he has lost his passion. I don't think he's been helped by coaching that seems stale and devoid of ideas. And I'm not sure where that passion may be ignited again. The Davis Cup will help him. At least we've seen smiley Rafa back again once he's surrounded by his mates, and that includes the Argentinian team, but I still think it will take more than this.
I will go back to that old saying that form is temporary, but class is permanent. And it gets trotted out so much because frankly ... its true. Maybe Rafa needs all things to just fall into place like what has happened to Feds lately. Just something somewhere to give him that confidence back which then shows in his tennis. I think it will take more than winning in the Davis Cup because he was totally awesome in the semi-final, but it didn't turn out to be the kick-start he needed. It may take quite some time, but at least he has less pressure this year in the Australian Open as he's neither the defending champion, nor is he going for a historic Slam, and he's defending only a quarter final. We'll see. That's why we all keep watching tennis, and that's why we love watching Rafa.
So what is eating Rafael Nadal?? Whatever it is, lets hope a manic win does it for him.
VAMOS!!
