5 reasons why Rafael Nadal is the hot favourite to win the French Open 2017

Return of Confidence

YES! Nadal’s belief in himself has long been a cornerstone of his game

The Rafael Nadal of 2016 was tired, but not just physically. It would be an understatement to say Rafael Nadal was burnt out, but that is exactly what he was. “I lost my love for the game,” he said to a reporter once, and indeed, his game did reflect it. Early, uncharacteristic losses were not the only thing that indicated this, but often Nadal had simply checked out of a match mentally.

Repeated losses also saw his confidence take a big hit, and Nadal routinely went down to players ranked far lower than himself – a fact that took away Nadal’s confidence and almost ‘gave’ it to his competitors. Any match longer than 4 sets saw Nadal’s interest flag significantly, and perhaps became a sure-shot indicator that the Spaniard would lose.

The biggest – and most effective remedy for his disillusionment with the game was perhaps his extended break. That break likely grounded Nadal and brought him back in touch with what he really loved about the game.

Six months off has appeared to rejuvenate Nadal and brought back the unbreakable confidence that made him invincible in his heyday. Now, barring one single – and out-of-the-ordinary loss, Nadal has exhibited a singular confidence that makes him the top contender for a tenth French Open title!