Rafael Nadal’s life was, in that respect, rather dull and disappointing.
Shanghai, London and Torino. The Masters, which is his name even though every now and then the ATP insists on renaming it, was neither kind nor generous to the most successful player in the history of tennis.
Only three cities and always the same: fast surface and indoors, the least favourable combination for the Spaniard’s interests at the lowest point of his tennis performance: the final stretch of the season.
Since he qualified for the first time in 2005, Nadal has never failed the Masters, he has always been there. It was the Masters that failed him: just two finals and no title. No wonder that throughout his career the Spaniard has raised a debate: why always in the same conditions, why never a Masters outdoors and on cement or clay?
In other eras, even in the years just before Nadal made his professional debut, the Masters was played every now and then in these conditions: outdoors, either on grass, as in the 1970s, or on concrete or clay, in later years. The latest example was Houston.
His uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, said days ago he hoped the 36-year-old former number one would have “a couple more years” on the tour. Enough time to finish that unfinished business? On Tuesday, after losing 6-3, 6-4 to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nadal explained why his level is not what it was in the first part of the year and is on the verge of elimination in Turin.
It was Nadal’s first loss to Auger-Aliassime, who is co-coached by Toni Nadal, his uncle and coach most of his life.
