The media are quick to ring alarm bells regarding Rafa Nadal's Roland Garros reign the minute something doesn't go to plan. This year has been unusual for Rafa. With only one title to his name in 2015 and some surprising losses to supposedly easy-to-beat opponents, the tennis world starts panicking. This writer believes there's no reason to. 

We're talking about a man who has won Roland Garros nine out of ten times. He's lost against one player. Rafa's win/loss in the French capital is 66-1. His records at Roland Garros are the most impressive in history!

There have been multiple times where the focus has been on somebody other than Nadal as favourite. That doesn't stop Rafa, it doesn't bother him in the slightest. In fact, we believe it gives him even more motivation to prove everybody wrong. Djokovic is skipping the Madrid Masters next week to rest, giving a further indication that this year, his eyes are set firmly on the prize. For sure that'll most likely make Rafa's life harder, but he enjoys the challenge. He deals with pressure exceptionally well.

If there's one man in history who can overcome the most severe of difficulties and doubts, it's Rafa Nadal. He battles on and works hard to reach his best level- whatever the circumstances. Difficulties occurred in 2013 after a knee injury threatened to keep him out of tennis forever. He fought back and won 10 tournaments (including two grand slams) that year. That's just one of the many examples of his courage and ambition to compete well. His determination never fails to amaze us. The author believes that this year, Rafa will be able to do the exact same thing- prove everybody wrong. 

On clay Rafa is the greatest player in history, but at Roland Garros, it's even more convincing just how good he is. Playing best of five sets gives him a huge advantage. It allows him more time to gain confidence during the tournament- one of the most important ingredients in terms of Nadal's success. If he finds himself a set (or even two) down in a match, he still has time to turn a match around. Rafa is an expert at finding quick solutions in times of crisis. The five-set matches give Rafa a huge advantage, while some players prefer a couple of sets to wrap up a victory quickly, Nadal doesn't mind going the extra mile because he's physically and mentally able to.

A good couple of tournaments in Madrid and Rome now will put Rafa in a good position for the French Open. He'll be looking to repeat (and preferably better) his success in Monte Carlo. If he doesn't compete well then perhaps the alarm bells can ring a little louder, but never can you not position the nine-time champion as favourite. One thing is for sure though, Rafa will work as hard as possible and do everything in his power to make sure he is biting another trophy at Roland Garros this year. Vamos, Rafa!

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