Nadal Ready to Hit Next Level on Clay

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Nadal Ready to Hit Next Level on Clay

Rafael Nadal has dropped three matches to Roger Federer in 2017, but that fact has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the nine-time Roland Garros champion as he now sets his sights on the clay-court season.

More: Djokovic and Dimitrov Set to Play Monte-Carlo Exhibition

“I think I am close to what I need to be,” Nadal said after the Miami Open final. “I am at a very high level of tennis and I believe I am ready to win titles. I already played three finals this year, losing three times with a player that didn't lose a match - only one match that he never would lose in normal conditions in Dubai and that's it.”

Nadal finishes the North American hardcourt swing with a 19-5 record and three finals to his name. His three wins against Top 10 players are just one short of his total for all of 2016, and he’ll likely add to that total quickly when he hits his favorite surface beginning in two weeks at Monte-Carlo.

Nadal earned three of his four Top 10 wins on clay last season, so the fact that he’s already tripled his Top 10 wins on other surfaces can only be seen as a positive. Nadal went 21-4 on clay in 2017 with titles at Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. He lost in the semifinals at Madrid to Andy Murray and in the quarterfinals at Rome to Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard had to pull out of his third-round match at Roland Garros last year with a wrist injury.

“I'm playing enough well to fight for everything I think,” said Nadal. “I have good hopes that I going to be ready for Monte-Carlo. Always when I am playing that well, on clay always helps a little bit more for me. I need to work hard to be ready for that. If I am ready for that, I think I am very excited about playing back on clay again.”

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