Perfect 10 in reach as Rafael Nadal returns to his invincible best ahead of French Open

The video of Dominic Thiem’s surprise win over Rafael Nadal last week in Rome will be in high demand for those harbouring hopes of stopping the Spaniard’s march towards a 10th French Open crown next week. It will be about their only crumb of comfort because the 30-year-old, apart from that blip at the Foro Italico, has looked back to his invincible best on the red dust as he seeks to regain the crown he lost two years ago. Watching Nadal rack up 17 consecutive victories during which he swept through Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid was like turning the clock back a decade when to challenge him on a clay court was an act of folly. Until he faced the stylish young Austrian Thiem, whom he had dispatched with ease the week before in the Madrid final, Nadal had dropped only two sets during the European clay court swing. In Madrid he trounced Nick Kyrgios, David Goffin and French Open champion Novak Djokovic on his way to a record-extending 52nd title on his favoured clay. No wonder it is hard to find anyone not backing him to claim “La Decima” in Paris. “I think the only player you can really believe will win the French Open is Rafa,” said Henri Leconte, the last Frenchman to reach the final in 1988. “I was with Boris Becker in Monte Carlo watching him beat David Goffin and it was amazing. Nobody could withstand the way he was playing. And I don’t think we need to consider the Rome defeat because he needed to relax a little for the French.” Nadal withdrew in the third round at last year’s French Open with a wrist injury and in 2015, with his confidence at a low ebb, he was overwhelmed by Djokovic in the quarter-finals. His days of domination looked over, but Nadal ended last season early to fully recover from his wrist injury and since returning in January he looks a man reborn. Watch: Rafael Nadal wins the 2014 French Open John McEnroe, commentating for Eurosport in Paris, said it was also hard to look past Nadal for the title. “It’s hard to say if he’s all the way back, he looks tremendous,” the American said. “It’s pretty darn close to his best. If he’s healthy and it sounds like he is, it’s the toughest thing to do in tennis to beat him on clay.” Rafael Nadal primed to rubber-stamp French Open favourite status Nadal has a tour-leading 36 match wins, sits top of the ATP Race standings and is back at number four in the rankings. He has remained fiercely loyal to his career-long coach, his uncle Toni, but has added fellow Mallorcan Carlos Moya to his camp, pepped up his serve and has rediscovered the length, power and penetration of his mighty forehand – the key weapon in his nine French titles. “He has worked on hitting the ball harder this year,” Leconte said. “He went back to the old racquet and has more control, which is why maybe he can hit it harder. “He’s maybe hitting less spin. He’s found some different angles. Even the backhand is back. Clay king Rafael Nadal edges out stubborn Dominic Thiem for fifth Madrid Open title “To beat him over five on clay, it’s the toughest ask in tennis. It must feel like 10 sets you have to win. You’ll have to play the best tennis of your life.” It is actually Nadal’s best start to the European clay season since 2010 when he won all three tournaments he played in the build-up to Paris. The Spaniard puts this year’s resurgence down to the decision he took last October to rest. “What helped me is that I was able to practise as much as I wanted, because I was healthy enough,” Nadal said. “I practised for one month and a half very well, very strong with a lot of hours and doing the stuff that I really wanted to do and that sometimes my body doesn’t allow me to do.” ‘King of clay’ Rafael Nadal claims his 10th Barcelona Open victory World number seven Thiem showed the blueprint for beating Nadal with a brilliant two-set performance. Leconte, however, says the French Open represents an entirely different challenge. “Can anyone play like that for four, five, six hours?” he said. “That’s the challenge. It’s formidable.”

Perfect 10 in reach as Rafael Nadal returns to his invincible best ahead of French Open

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Spaniard has barely put a foot wrong in the lead-up to the tournament and is hot favourite to regain the title at Roland Garros

The Spaniard has barely put a foot wrong in the lead-up to the tournament and is hot favourite to regain the title at Roland Garros