Nadal Is “This Close” To Number One On The Tour

Written by: on 4th October 2013
Tennis China Open
Nadal Is “This Close” To Number One On The Tour

epa03895537 Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning the quarter finals men's singles against Fabio Fognini of Italy at the China Open tennis tournament at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China, 04 October 2013. EPA/ADRIAN BRADSHAW  |

With Rafael Nadal bearing down – the Spaniard needs a final this weekend in Beijing to take back the ATP No. 1 ranking he last held three years ago – top-ranked rival Novak Djokovic is keeping cool under pressure in Beijing.

 

“I try to do what I have to do, that is to win games,” the current No. 1 said. “Ranking change all the time so they still change, but we cannot think about it. My job is to win as many games as possible and the ranking will follow the results.”

 

Djokovic has never lost in Beijing, winning all three times he has entered, with trophies at three of the last four editions. Nadal has dominated the ATP since coming back in February from knee problems, winning 10 titles including the French and US Opens.

 

Djokovic won the Australian Open but only owns three titles in 2013, the last earned in Monte Carlo at the expense of Nadal nearly half a year ago.

 

 

Unconfirmed reports are circulating in the locker room that Djokovic, whose season has been marginal at best in 2013, might be questioning his relationship with longtime coach Marian Vjada. Djokovic recently let go one member of his team, a Serbian friend and sparring partner, who was picked up as coach for another player.

Topics: , , , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.