Rafael Nadal believes he can snatch a third Wimbledon title if he carries his first-week form into the business end of the tournament.
Champion in 2008 and 2010, Nadal had experienced some difficult years at Wimbledon since then and his days as a grass-court contender looked to be slipping away. But the bustling Spaniard had played some sensational tennis in his opening three matches and faces Luxembourg veteran Gilles Muller on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.
It would be a monumental upset were Muller to topple 31-year-old Nadal, who is three years his junior and a fellow left-hander.
And Nadal said the key to his success over the remainder of the tournament would be to avoid letting his level slip. ‘I’m very aware of the fact I have a very serious rival in front of me, someone who’s a specialist on this surface. I’m going to try to be courageous, aggressive and play well,’ Nadal said.
‘If I were able to play at the same level I’ve played so far it would be very good. I have to try to reach that level, to try to maintain that level because evidently the level was very high.’
Nadal is determined to protect his body, and as such only Roger Federer of the top 30 has played fewer tournaments over the past year.
‘I’ve had the good fortunes of not needing to play every week,’ Nadal said.
‘Whenever I’ve got to a competition I’ve considered it a special situation, because if you were competing every week it becomes a routine.
‘On the one hand it’s good that you give yourself more opportunities in the year, but on the other hand it loses the essence of going to compete and what it means.’