Refreshed and rehabilitated, Rafael Nadal returns to clay eager to recapture his best

The world No 1 may have had a frustrating start to the year, but for the next two months he faces the happy prospect of competing of where he feels most at home

Rafael Nadal is back and motivated to get his clay court season off to the best possible start in Monte Carlo (Getty)

There was rain in the air, a blanket of grey cloud stretched as far as the eye could see and the Mediterranean lacked its usual spring-time sparkle, but that was not going to dampen Rafael Nadal’s spirits. The world No 1 may have had a frustrating start to the year, but for the next two months he faces the happy prospect of competing on clay courts which he has dominated for the last decade and a half.

The European clay-court season got under way here on Sunday at the Monte Carlo Masters, which will be Nadal’s first tournament since he suffered the hip muscle injury which ended his Australian Open campaign in January. He was subsequently forced to pull out of the hard-court tournaments at Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami before returning to competition to lead Spain to a Davis Cup quarter-final victory on clay in Valencia last weekend.

“I feel that I’m playing well,” Nadal said here as he looked ahead to his attempt to win this title for the 11th time. “I had some good days of practice here, playing some good sets. That helps me. I love this event. I always feel comfortable here.

Nadal is back looking for an 11th title in Monte Carlo (Getty)

“The weather has been good, even if it’s been raining a little bit today. It’s not windy, so it’s good conditions to play tennis. I’m enjoying that. I’m enjoying being here in Monte-Carlo in an event that always brings me the best feelings possible and good memories.”

He added with a smile: “It’s hopefully going to be my first event of the year that I can finish. I’m excited about that.”

Nadal, who has a first-round bye before he takes on either Aljaz Bedene or Mirza Basic, had to retire in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarter-final with Marin Cilic in January. He planned to make his comeback in Acapulco one month later but suffered a recurrence of the injury while practising there.

The Spaniard spent the next few weeks back at his academy in Majorca, where the nature of the injury meant that he was unable to do any physical work.

“It was a boring time because I don’t like to be doing nothing, but that’s what I did,” he said. “I am not a fan of watching a lot of TV. I was able to go out with the boat for just a few days, but the weather has not been perfect, so I was able to spend time with some friends. A few parties!”

Nadal feels at home on the clay (Getty)

Had he been doing pilates to help his recovery? “No,” Nadal laughed. “I don’t have the right calmness to do that kind of stuff. I need something more dynamic.”

Was he worried that he might suffer the same injury again? “Well it happened twice so you never know,” he said. “Being honest, I am not practising thinking about whether it comes back or not. I’ve had more injuries in my life than I might have expected, but the good thing is that when I’ve come back I haven’t been afraid about what was going on.”

He added: “I feel good, I’m practising well and I think I am playing with the right intensity. I feel ready to play well, though I don’t know whether or not that will happen.”

With his triumph here 12 months ago Nadal became the first man in the open era to win a tournament 10 times. He went on to complete his 10th victories at both the Barcelona Open and French Open.

Despite being the most successful clay-court player of all time, Nadal insists that he found it easier when he was younger to reacquaint himself with the challenge of playing on terre battue because he used to play more tournaments on the surface.

Four of the world’s top five players are competing in Monte Carlo this week (Getty)

“In recent years I’ve only played Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Paris,” he said. “Five tournaments per year is not much to be ready for the clay and to remember all the things I have to do in the points. It’s true that the Davis Cup week helped me a little bit so I’m not playing the first event here, but let’s see.

“Sometimes I arrive here and play very well, sometimes I arrive and I play so-so. Every day a little better. As ever I need to be ready for the tournament. All the rounds are dangerous and it’s important to be 100 per cent focused.”

Four of the world’s top five players are competing here this week, but Roger Federer, who will return to the top of the rankings next Monday if Nadal fails to defend his title, has decided to skip the whole clay-court season for the second year in a row.

Asked what he felt about Federer’s absence, Nadal said: “I don’t care. He takes his decisions.”

With a hint of mischief in his eye, the Spaniard added: “He said a couple of days ago that he would love to play against me again on clay over the best of five sets, so I thought he would play Roland Garros. Then a few days later he says he will not play, so there’s a little bit of controversy with that.”