Nadal chooses the risk: more speed, more fouls

"Rafa's face was disjointed."

Nadal's team portrays the circumstance in which the quarterfinal match against Canadian Denis Shapovalov ended. A physical martyrdom that made him lose four kilos of weight due to wear and sweating, as explained to Cadena Cope by his technician, Carlos Moyà, in information corroborated by this newspaper. Yesterday, the Mallorcan (35 years old) was still recovering in the hotel from heat stroke based on mineral compounds and rest, guided by the guidelines of his physio, Rafael Maymò. Dehydration took its toll on his body, but the extra day of rest ahead of the semi-final that he will face next morning (4.30, Eurosport) with the Italian Matteo Berrettini allowed him to restore the chassis.

It was the toll of an extreme crossover in which the champion of 20 majors had only one way out: serve or fall.

Without the desired mobility or spark, already exhausted, Nadal saved the fifth set thanks to his service.

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“Luckily, it worked for me and gave me the victory”, stressed the Balearic on several occasions, who left a blur on the statistical sheet, not by chance.

He had never registered 11 double faults –the maximum was 8, on three occasions–, but behind the stain there was an intention.

For a long time, the Spaniard has been aware that success and survival in this tennis with few impacts and a lot of power comes from increasing the performance of the serve, so he applies himself and tests, and the risks carry a price.

When Moyà joined the team, in December 2016, the coach concentrated on multiplying two sections that have subsequently provided Nadal with a lot of revenue.

In order not to depend exclusively on the master key of the

and to increase the variables in the construction of the point, he emphasized the backhand, and with the aim of shortening the duels and preserving a physique already in his thirties and worn out, the coach made his team understand player that it was necessary to considerably increase the speed of the starting ball.

Nadal not only accepted, but also proposed a revision that brought about changes: a smaller jump, less bent legs, a more upright posture and a somewhat more relaxed grip.

A “statement of intent”

Despite offering good percentages, the Spaniard has never distinguished himself by being a server, not at least one of those specialists that abound so much these days;

however, the averages have been drawing an ascending line that is explained by the new mechanics that he adopted three years ago and that he premiered, precisely, in Melbourne.

According to a report published by the ATP on its website, last year Nadal's service set an average speed of 180 kilometers per hour with the first serves during Roland Garros – the last Grand Slam he played before landing in Australia – and 150 km/h with seconds.

Now, according to the aforementioned information, the speedometer shows 187 and 162 km/h respectively.

That is to say, the one from Manacor has ostensibly increased the punch when it comes to serving.

All this, logically, means that the possibility of failing grows and that, as in the case of the last appearance, double faults are more recurrent.

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“At his age he should tend to play more games of this type. The match against Shapovalov is a declaration of intent that Rafa is willing to take risks, to accept the risk-benefit ratio. Until now the benefit has been very high”, Moyà concedes to the ATP, while the numbers make clear the new path by which Nadal has progressively been introduced.

In the debut against Marcos Girón, the double fault box counted only 2 and in the subsequent match against Yannik Hanfmann there were 5;

then 6 against Karen Khachanov and against Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16 the dichotomy was more palpable: 16

and 6 misses.

Joined at 11 in the quarters, the total reflects 30, making him the fourth most committed player in the tournament, behind Maxime Cressy (54), Shapovalov (36) and Benoit Paire (31).

In 2017, says Moyà, the objective was to go from 140 km/h to 150 with the seconds and since then progressively increase the percentages.

Forced to be braver than ever at this point in his long professional adventure, Nadal explores new places and challenges himself: without cannon fire, he knows, there is no paradise.

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