Second-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal and fifth-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev have been the most dominant players during the North American hard-court swing. They’ve also racked up more wins than any other players on Tour this year. Fittingly, they have set themselves for a championship clash at the US Open when they meet in Sunday’s final.

Their showdown in Arthur Ashe Stadium is a rematch of last month’s Coupe Rogers final, which saw Nadal drop just three games for his fifth title in Canada. Rather than intimidate the Russian, the experience facing Nadal has only energised him for his first Grand Slam final.

“Talking about Rafa, it’s tough to find words,” Medvedev said. “He’s one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport. He’s just a machine, a beast on the court. The energy he’s showing is just amazing. To play him in your first Grand Slam final should be… an amazing thing to live.”

Many tennis fans cited Medvedev as the biggest chance outside the Big 3 to take the title, but the 23-year-old downplayed his chances and pointed out that he hadn’t reached a Grand Slam quarter-final. But in his match-by-match approach, Medvedev improved his record to 20-2 during the North American hard-court season by reaching the US Open final.

Medvedev’s magical run includes his first Masters 1000 title at the Western & Southern Open (d. Goffin), in addition to finishing runner-up in Montreal (l. to Nadal) and at the Citi Open (l. to Kyrgios). He is the only player on Tour to achieve 50 match victories this season.

Most Wins On ATP Tour In 2019 (Open Era)

But there’s been little time for Medvedev to ponder his breakthrough because he’s been so busy winning. He seeks to cap off his summer stateside by becoming only the fifth player since 2009 to capture his maiden Grand Slam title.

Grand Slam Final Breakthroughs Since 2009

”Of course, deep inside of me, I understand that what I’ve done these four weeks is amazing, even comparing to what I’ve done before,” Medvedev said. “I don’t want to stop. I will always work to be better. I will try to do my best every day.”

Although Medvedev’s low-bouncing, off-speed shots have frustrated players throughout the year, they seemed to sit up in Nadal’s strike zone in Montreal. But while Nadal has gained plenty of free points on his serve this fortnight, the Russian’s return is one of his greatest strengths and he won’t allow the Spaniard as many free points.

The fifth seed will need to keep the points short and avoid engaging Nadal in prolonged baseline rallies. Medvedev will also need to play his lethal cross-court backhand into the Spaniard’s forehand. Although Nadal is stronger on that side, it will expose his backhand wing and give the Russian more opportunities to attack.

Nadal has been thriving in Arthur Ashe Stadium from the first ball this fortnight, feeding off the energy of the New York crowd and channeling it into his explosive baseline game. The Spaniard already arrived on a high after prevailing in Montreal, but he has looked nearly flawless in his quarter-final and semi-final victories over Diego Schwartzman and Matteo Berrettini.

Who will win the latest @FedEx ATP HeadHead meeting between these players?#USOpen

— ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) September 7, 2019

“I think at the beginning of my career have been some tough moments here, losing matches. But since a long time ago, every time that I came here I felt comfortable. I felt very competitive and fighting for the big things,” Nadal said. “I said every single day, but I can repeat: I feel comfortable here, I like the atmosphere, I like the crowd. I feel a big energy when I am playing in this Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“When I arrived here, my goal was to produce a chance to compete for the big thing again. Here I am.”

Nadal will want to consider adding even more spin to his shots against Medvedev. Players who hit flat shots don’t like hitting balls above their shoulder, but the Russian has the advantage of being 6’6”. A high ball for most players falls into Medvedev’s strike zone, so the Spaniard will need to add further height in order to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm.

It will also be crucial for Nadal to get off to a fast start. Once he’s come within a set of victory this fortnight, his opponents have appeared resigned to an inevitable defeat and the second seed sprinted to the finish line. Given the volume of matches that Medvedev has played recently, the prospect of rallying from two sets down may appear insurmountable.

After 18 years on tour, Nadal shows no signs of slowing down. He’s one match away from securing his fifth Grand Slam title in his 30s, a feat which would be unprecedented in the Open Era.

30 & Over Grand Slam Title Leaders (Open Era)

A victory over Medvedev would also give Nadal his 19th Grand Slam title, putting him one shy of all-time leader Federer (20). But regardless of the end result on Sunday, Nadal said he will leave New York with his head high and proud of his efforts.

“Of course, I would love to be the one who wins the most Grand Slams, but I’ll still sleep very well without being the one who has the most Grand Slams,” Nadal said. “I am happy about my career. I am very happy about what I’m doing. I’m going to keep working hard to try to produce chances. Sunday is just one more chance.

“You cannot be frustrated or thinking all day about what your neighbor has. You have to be happy with yourself. You have to do it your way.”

A CLOSER LOOK AT NADAL vs. MEDVEDEV (Stats Through US Open SFs)

 Statistics courtesy: Leo Levin/SMT

Rafael Nadal seeks his fourth US Open title when he meets Russian Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. The Spaniard has been in blistering form this fortnight, dropping just one set en route to his fifth final in New York.

Nadal is on a 10-match winning streak, having also prevailed over Medvedev in last month’s Coupe Rogers final.

Should he prevail on Sunday, Nadal will have his history on his side as he looks to finish the year at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. The Spaniard was year-end No. 1 in all three years that he won the US Open. Nadal currently leads Djokovic by 1,160 points in the ATP Race to London and would add another 800 points if he takes the title. 

But how does his current form compare to his previous US Open titles? ATPTour.com looks back at the previous three times that Nadal stood in the winner’s circle at the final Grand Slam of the year.

2010 US Open – Nadal d. Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

The US Open had remained the missing piece of Rafael Nadal’s career Grand Slam puzzle. Although he arrived in New York as one of the clear favourites for the title after prevailing in Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he hadn’t won a hard-court title since the 2018 BNP Paribas Open. Nadal also endured two losses leading in. He fell in straight-sets defeat to Andy Murray in the Rogers Cup semi-finals and had a surprising quarter-final loss to Marcos Baghdatis at the Western & Southern Open.

But Nadal was in full flight once the tournament started. He powered into the final without dropping a set, including convincing wins over Fernando Verdasco and Mikhail Youzhny, to book a championship showdown with Novak Djokovic. The Serbian had prevailed in an epic five-set semi-final with Roger Federer.

Nadal was the underdog heading into the match with Djokovic. They had never played a Grand Slam match on hard courts before, but Djokovic led 7-3 on hard courts in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry and won their past three matches on the surfaces.

Rain pushed the start of their Sunday final to Monday and showers forced them off the court at 4-4 in the second set. Although Djokovic quickly levelled the match when play resumed, Nadal grabbed an early break in the third set and never looked back. The Spaniard fell to the ground and sobbed in his hands after a forehand sent wide from Djokovic made him the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams.

”This is more than I ever dreamed,” Nadal said. “It is unbelievable to have this US Open trophy.”

2013 US Open – Nadal d. Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Nadal proved to be the dominant force throughout the North American hard-court swing. He defeated Djokovic en route to prevailing in Montreal (d. Raonic) and followed up with a win over Federer on his path to the title in Cincinnati (d. Isner).

The Spaniard advanced to the US Open final with minimal fuss, only dropping one set in his fourth-round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber and powering through Richard Gasquet to reach the championship match. In nearly identical fashion to 2010, he faced Djokovic in the final after the Serbian prevailed in a grueling five-set encounter with Stan Wawrinka.

Nadal and Djokovic’s showdown started in sunlight and finished at night, featuring incredible rallies that brought the crowd to their feet on numerous occasions. There was even an epic 54-ball exchange that Djokovic came out on top in for a 4-2 lead in the second set.

But while Djokovic won that battle, Nadal won the war. Once the Spaniard sunk his teeth into the third set, he ran away with the remainder of the match. Nadal improved to 22-0 on hard courts and 60-3 overall in 2013, becoming the first player to win at least one Grand Slam title in nine consecutive seasons. He also became the third player to prevail in Canada, Cincinnati and the US Open in the same season, joining Patrick Rafter (1998) and Andy Roddick (2003).

“This is probably the most emotional one in my career,” Nadal said. “I know I had to be almost perfect to win. Nobody brings my game to the limit like Novak.”

2017 US Open – Nadal d. Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Nadal arrived to New York as the top seed once again, but there were questions about his ability to perform on hard courts. He hadn’t won a hard-court title since 2014 Doha and had lost his past eight hard-court finals. Nadal also endured surprising defeats in the 2017 North American hard-court swing to Denis Shapovalov (Montreal) and Nick Kyrgios (Cincinnati).

The Spaniard also got off to a slow start in several of his matches that fortnight, dropping the opening set in three of his first six rounds. But after losing the first set in his semi-final to Juan Martin del Potro, he found a new gear and dropped just five games the rest of the way.

Nadal was a heavy favourite in the final against first-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson of South Africa, owning a 4-0 record at the time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry. The Spaniard never let Anderson into the match, losing only 15 points on serve and never facing a break point. He was also perfect (16/16) at the net, knocking off a backhand volley winner to secure his 16th Grand Slam title.

“I believed in the work, in the daily work all the time,” “Nadal said. I still believe in these things to improve, and I wake up every morning with the passion to go on court and to try to improve things. Probably that’s why I still have chances to compete in this sport and to do it well.”

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah embrace in a hug. The Colombians have just lifted their second Grand Slam championship in three months — something almost unimaginable a few months ago.

By defeating Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-4, 7-5 in the men’s doubles final of the US Open on Friday, the top seeds clinched their fifth title of the season and solidified their position as the top team in the ATP Doubles Race To London in the process.

After making their rounds and handling media duties in the underbelly of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the newly crowned champions sat down to discuss their most recent victory and what’s next with ATPTour.com.

ATPTour.com: One of the most emotional moments of the final was when Jacobo [Cabal’s son] stepped on to the court just after your victory.
Farah: Maybe he should come to all our matches from now on! (Laughs)
Cabal: (Joking) That sounds like a good idea; studying, all that, might have to wait, if we want to keep winning (Laughs). He’s like our amulet now.

ATPTour.com: Like a lucky charm?
Cabal: (Laughs) No, no, I’m just kidding. But seriously, he likes to run on to the court, give us a hug and be around us, and seeing him happy makes us happy. I have no words to describe how happy I am as a father and winning this for my son. I know Robert feels the same way.

ATPTour.com: What was the first thing you guys said to one another immediately after the win?
Farah: Sebas, we just won our second Grand Slam!
Cabal: We dedicated our win to Roberto Cocheteux, founder of Colsanitas tennis club and an ambassador of the sport in our country. [Cocheteux passed away 20 August 2019].

ATPTour.com: What are the differences between winning at Flushing Meadows and capturing the title at Wimbledon?
Farah: I get the feeling that the Wimbledon win created a bit more commotion, as it was contested on a Saturday and more people probably tuned in to watch. It also lasted almost five hours. But winning [in New York] will clearly create a stir and garner a lot of attention. I mean, it’s the US Open!

ATPTour.com: And emotionally?
Cabal: They’re different. From the quarter-finals on, it was one battle after another at Wimbledon and we were averaging around four hours on the court each match. On top of that, it was our first victory as a team in a Grand Slam final. The first one is always the toughest and the one that takes its toll emotionally, but both are very special to us. We’re still processing the win here; that has yet to settle in. Both victories have their own traits and distinctions that make them special… winning in front of family, friends, our teams. Honestly, we can say we’re titleholders of two great championships, the last two majors of the year, and it’s amazing. Everything that’s happening is all very crazy.

ATPTour.com: How were you received upon your return to Colombia after winning at Wimbledon?
Cabal: Colombia expressed its love for us; they showered us with love. The people were with us all the way; they suffered through each round with us and ultimately celebrated with us. All of this makes us proud and pushes us to continue bringing joy to our supporters and providing them with reasons to celebrate.

ATPTour.com: In your victory speeches, you’re always sure to thank Colombia and the people of your nation.
Cabal: We are very proud of the love we receive. We have said it again and again. This is for them, so we want them to enjoy it as much as we do. This win is for all of Colombia.

ATPTour.com: Do you get the feeling that all these victories will somehow become the norm, or expected of you?
Cabal: I don’t know! (Laughs) All I know is we’re achieving great things and raising our profile as a team but that’s part of the job. We’re playing matches, having fun and doing what we enjoy for a living.
Farah: We value the hard work more than the victory itself. The wins are a result of the work we put into this process. If you were to live with us, you’d see everything that goes into this: our strict diet, the training, the rehydrating, the rest, the mental fortitude. We see our goal as something we can attain through this strong work ethic. And now we’re seeing the results in two consecutive Grand Slams.

ATPTour.com: You might not say it, but it would be fair for you to claim you’re the best doubles team in the world and that isn’t by chance.
Farah: Rafa [Nadal], Roger [Federer], [Novak] Djokovic… all three are examples of humility, hard work and great success, and that sets the tone for us.

ATPTour.com: Among future objectives, you admit that the Nitto ATP Finals is high priority.
Cabal: That tournament is like the cherry on top. It’s the Disney World of tennis; it’s a unique event. It would be a wonderful title to claim and we’ll be competing again this year. Believe me when I say we’ll do everything in our power to claim that title.

ATPTour.com: Finally, how will you be celebrating your big win in New York?
Farah: We’ll leave that decision up to …
Cabal: Jacobo! (Laughs)

Matteo Berrettini’s US Open has come to an end, but there are plenty of positives for the Italian to take from his breakthrough run in New York.

When he faced Roger Federer two months ago at Wimbledon, Berrettini admitted feeling ill-equipped to face a member of the Big 3. He even joked at the net with Federer about receiving a “tennis lesson” after falling to the Swiss in just 74 minutes. On Friday, he gave Rafael Nadal all he could handle for the majority of their semi-final encounter that marked Berrettini’s best Grand Slam showing.

“The last time I played one of the Big 3, it didn’t go that well. The feelings I had on court for sure was [an] unbelievable experience. I didn’t have so many chances. I think I learned a lot from the match in Wimbledon,” Berrettini said. “I was more ready [today]… I think this match will help me a lot to improve my tennis, my everything, and for sure be ready for [Nadal] the next time.

“I was coming here with not a lot of confidence. I was injured. I didn’t play a good match in Cincinnati. Didn’t expect to do such a great tournament.”

The 23-year-old created yet another milestone moment in what has been a banner year. Berrettini’s quarter-final victory over Gael Monfils, which ended in a fifth-set tiebreak, kept him undefeated in five-setters (3-0) and is considered by many fans to be the match of the tournament so far.

The Italian’s run wasn’t completely out of left field, though. Berrettini quietly built up to it with titles this year in Budapest (d. Krajinovic) and Stuttgart (d. Auger-Aliassime), in addition to a runner-up showing in Munich (l. to Garin) and reaching the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time at Wimbledon. He also scored his first Top 10 wins over Karen Khachanov (twice) and Alexander Zverev.

Berrettini was outside the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings at the start of the year, but is projected to jump inside the Top 15 for the first time when the newest standings are released on Monday. He’s also put himself in contention for a debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, held at The O2 in London from 10-17 November. Berrettini will jump to ninth place in the ATP Race to London (2,160 points), trailing eighth-placed Kei Nishikori by a mere 20 points.

Read More: Berrettini, Zverev & Co. Locked In Fierce Fight For London Berths

But while he admitted appearing at The O2 was “crazy to think about,” he’s staying in the moment. Berrettini will compete next at the St. Petersburg Open before heading to Asia for the China Open and Rolex Shanghai Masters. Having a Grand Slam semi-final under his belt has given him the belief that he can defeat anyone at his remaining ATP Tour events this season.

“I’m learning to be ready. Every match is important. Every point is important. Then all the matches, you have to be focussed and ready to get the chances that you’re making,” Berrettini said. “I think when I have the right attitude on the court, I can play with any guys. If I’m focussing, if I’m playing my tennis, I can be really dangerous. It’s really important to have this confidence.”

Three-time champion Rafael Nadal on Friday evening set a blockbuster US Open final against No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev in what will be a matchup of two of the hottest hard-court players in the world. Nadal battled past first-time major semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-1 under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“The first set was a little frustrating because I had a lot of break points before the tie-break and he didn’t have any. In the tie-break I was a little lucky because he had 5/2 and 4/0. But I survived at that moment and I finally got the break in the second and then the match completely changed,” Nadal said during his on-court interview. “I started to play with more calm and be more aggressive. I’m super happy to be back in the final of the US Open.”

Medvedev (50) and Nadal (46) lead the ATP Tour in wins this season, and the pair split the two North American summer hard-court ATP Masters 1000 titles. Nadal, who is into his 27th major final, defeated Medvedev to triumph at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal, and then the Russian bounced back to lift his first trophy at that level at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

Looking ahead to meeting Medvedev, Nadal said, “He’s making steps forward every single week. He’s having an amazing summer, winning Cincinnati and making the final in Montreal and Washington and now the final here. He’s been playing the best tennis on tour this summer so he will be the toughest opponent in the final. I need to be playing at my best. But in a Grand Slam final you can’t expect an easy opponent.

“For me it means a lot to be back where I am today after some tough moments at the beginning of the season.”

To set his second FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting against the World No. 5, Nadal withstood a game effort from Berrettini, the No. 24 seed, who had never previously reached the quarter-finals of a major. The Italian earned two set points in the opening-set tie-break, but Nadal played lockdown defence to stave off those chances, and he never looked back from there.

Nadal has been in devastating form since arriving in New York, losing just one set in his six victories, and that came in the fourth round against Marin Cilic, who earned the crown here five years ago. The 33-year-old is into his fifth final in Flushing Meadows.

“Before playing the final is not the moment to be super happy. Of course, finally when the tournament finishes, if you lose, when you’re looking global perspective, okay. But now is a moment to enjoy today,” Nadal said. “But [there] is a match in front on Sunday, an important one. I just focus on trying to be 100 per cent ready for it. But, of course, very, very happy for everything. Another final of the Grand Slam, and another final here in Flushing Meadows means a lot to me.”

This was the fifth time in his career Nadal was the lone member of the Big 3 to reach a Grand Slam semi-final. On the other four occasions, Nadal went on to win the title (2010, 2017-18 Roland Garros, 2017 US Open).

The 18-time major winner won his first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting with Berrettini after two hours and 35 minutes. Nadal played a clean match, striking 31 winners to only 18 unforced errors, and winning the point on 17 of his 21 trips to the net.

After a double fault from the World No. 2 to start the first-set tie-break, Berrettini threw everything he had at the Spaniard, using his arsenal of weapons from the baseline to take a commanding 4/0 lead. But as always, Nadal battled hard and would not let slip the set without a fight.

Berrettini earned two set points at 6/4. On his first opportunity, the Italian clipped the tape on a forehand approach shot, and he hit an ensuing backhand volley into the net. On the next point, Berrettini carved a backhand drop shot into the net. And from there, Nadal raised his defensive walls high, putting ball after ball back into the court until the three-time ATP Tour titlist made two more unforced errors to give the second seed the opener after a physical 73 minutes.

“My goal was to win the point of the 4/0 to 4/1 with my serve. Of course with 5/0, another mini break against.. it’s done. My goal in that moment is to put the first point on my score and then win one of the next two points on the return at least. Then you are 5/2. You are in a tough situation, but if you are able to win the next two points with your serve, then you are 5/4,” Nadal said. “The opponent still has two serves to win the set. But from 4/0 to 5/4 is a completely different perspective because then the opponent has the pressure, too. That was my goal.

“Then [it] was 6/4, and I was lucky with that point. He played a very aggressive couple of points, and I was able to hold it well, not miss at least, and put one more ball in in that moment. Lucky to win that first set in the tie-break.”

Berrettini could only sit on his chair and smile between sets, knowing the chance he had to take the lead against the legendary lefty. Although he did not suffer much of a letdown, Nadal earned the first break of the match at 3-3 in the second set, when the Italian missed into the net. 

Nadal did not struggle much to take a commanding lead from there, holding to love to earn a two-set advantage. The 83-time tour-level titlist did not face a break point in the match.

Berrettini battled hard, saving nine of the 10 break points he has faced. But Nadal has put up a nearly impenetrable defence. The Italian crushed 30 winners in the first two sets, including 16 off his powerful forehand wing, but Nadal made just 15 unforced errors during that time, making Berrettini earn every point he won.

Nadal needed more than two hours to get through the first two sets, but it only took him 31 minutes to finish off the Italian. The Spaniard broke twice in the final set, and began to play more aggressively himself. At 4-1, 30/0, Berrettini played a smart lob over his head. But Nadal chased it down and whipped an inside-out forehand for a clean winner as he spun around. It was that kind of night for Nadal, who has made the championship match in five of his 11 tournaments this year.

“Winning the first set would have meant I think a lot. Especially with him, it’s tough to go a set down after an hour, more than an hour,” Berrettini said. “But I was feeling I was playing really good, even though he had a lot of chances on my serve. I think I played also good [on the] important points. I mean, I was brave, like I asked to myself. I couldn’t say anything bad. I cannot complain about what I did. I was playing with Rafa, centre court, in semis. I think it’s okay.”

Did You Know?
Nadal continues to extend his lead in the ATP Race To London over Novak Djokovic. Nadal now has 8,425 points, putting him 1,160 points ahead of second-placed Djokovic (7,265), who retired in his fourth-round match against Stan Wawrinka due to injury.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on 26 August 2019, ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam tournament. Rafael Nadal will play Daniil Medvedev on Sunday in the 2019 US Open final.

An imposing number of wins on clay (21) has overshadowed another of Nadal’s impressive year-to-date stats: Entering the US Open, the Spaniard holds the best victory ratio on hard courts this season with 17 match wins against two losses for a success rate of 88 per cent. A recent triumph at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal extended his record of ATP Masters 1000 titles to 35 and reaffirmed his position as a serious contender ahead of the hard-court major.

On Sunday, the 18-time Grand Slam champion took to the outer courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows for a practice session with World No. 9 Karen Khachanov. Coaches Carlos Moya and Francis Roig were on hand to oversee Nadal’s practice work. After the session, coach Roig spoke with ATPTour.com to discuss the World No. 2’s preparations ahead of the US Open and why he’s more dangerous than ever on hard courts.

More About Rafa
* Nadal Moves To Within One ‘Big Title’ Of Djokovic & Federer
* Rapid Rafa: Serve, Play & Win Faster
* Nadal Dismisses Medvedev, Adds To All-Time Masters 1000 Titles Record

From what I’ve observed from the sidelines, Nadal is finding his rhythm and fine-tuning his game just in time for Tuesday’s opening round match at the US Open.
Except for one morning when we trained in the indoor arena (with Alexander Zverev), then practised with Diego Schwartzman later in the day, every other session has gone well. Rafa is bringing the same dynamics he utilised in Montreal to lift the trophy. He played extremely well there; he was aggressive and that has proven to be the key to success on faster surfaces. I believe he has taken a step forward and found his footing, specifically on hard courts.

He’s looked comfortable on this surface for a while now.
Rafa is feeling more complete now on the faster hard courts. He has much more confidence in his serve and has managed to boost the speed of both his first and second serves. This affords him many “easy” points. He’s also improved his all-court game and feels more sure of himself when approaching the net and volleying. Another aspect where he’s improved is on the backhand side; these days, he’s more assertive with that shot and isn’t afraid to step into the court with an approach shot on that side. Whereas he once backed off attacking shorter balls, he’s now more poised and sees those shots as opportunities to end the point. All these elements combined make for a more complete, assured Rafa; no longer does every point have to be an epic battle of attrition.

Is it difficult to introduce changes when Nadal has been so successful for so long competing with his distinctive style of play?
Well, we still have our differences about that … [laughs]. Both Charly [Moya] and I would rather have him build on the foundation that’s led to where he is today, but it’s hard to persuade Rafa sometimes. We’d rather he be more assertive than continue to sit back and wait.

And how have you convinced him to be more aggressive?
It is one thing to have an arsenal of weapons and a whole other thing to be swayed into utilizing it. I think Rafa has been coming around to that little by little. In his mind, he’s managed to win Grand Slams without playing this “refined” way; he’s gained praise and found success by engaging in drawn-out affairs and wearing down opponents. To give you an example: Back in 2013, his game was stellar, and he performed spectacularly throughout the season; in my opinion, though, the present version of Rafa looks more qualified to build a point and to work over an opponent. These days, he’s dictating play more; he shouldn’t be playing the “sit back and wait” game. I think he is realizing the value of building up a point with a more pointed attack and he’s evolving into a more well-rounded player in the process.

You have put a lot of emphasis on the word “build.”
By that, I mean don’t wait to see what happens. In my mind, as soon as the ball bounces, Rafa should be on top of it, ready for contact, prepared for impact. Obviously, if you’re playing an inspired [Roger] Federer and catch him on one of his days, that might not be the best approach every single point because of the way Federer strikes the ball and how it comes toward an opponent. Anything short, however, must be struck in a way to make Federer pay. Opportunities like those must not be wasted; chances to go on the offense must be handled with aggression. It’s important for Rafa to place himself as close to the location of the bounce as possible to guarantee he’s the one building the point in his favor. When one is sitting back in a comfort zone, chances are the opponent is settling down and into a groove as well.  

This season, Nadal holds the best win per cent on hard court at 88 per cent (15-2).
I’ve said this a lot lately: In the past, there was the sense that certain opponents and styles could defeat us on this surface in three-set tournaments. Now, I think there must be a chain of events and circumstances for us to lose. Historically it has always been better to play five sets, because if Rafa got off to a rough start, he would have that much more time to recover and find his form. Rafa no longer needs that cushion, knowing he has time to get back into a match. He’s more comfortable and in control on the faster surfaces these days, even in three-set matches.

How has that more secure frame of mind been reflected?
Not only has he been winning, but it’s the way he’s been winning. The results are more convincing or at least the feeling is that he’s winning more matches by playing well, instead of outlasting opponents or hoping for changes of fortune. This boosts his confidence. He arrives [in New York] with mental fortitude and more convinced that he can thrive. On top of that, he’s convinced he can secure the No. 1 spot in the [ATP] Race [to London]. That might be a bonus, but it does help drive his motivation.

John Millman awaits Nadal in Tuesday’s first round match. Does Millman’s upset of Roger Federer last year [3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3)] on this same stage make Rafa a little more alert?
We are always alert. Rafa is the first to sense that; you don’t need to tell him. Personally, I think Millman will take a measured approach and understand that while his upset over Federer last year was a huge statement, he’ll go into the match against Rafa just as eager and with the goal of making a strong run in the tournament this year. It is also true that the weather and conditions last year were different; it was tremendously hot and this year it seems that it will not be as extreme.

Millman is also not an unknown commodity; Nadal and Millman have met once before.
Exactly. We played Millman at Wimbledon two years ago (d. Millman 6-1, 6-3, 6-2). Today, Millman is a more experienced, more dangerous player. But, in the end, every match is difficult, no matter the round or opponent, and Rafa knows as well as anyone he’ll have to proceed with caution if he’s to advance deeper into the tournament.